Maybe the time off would help. Maybe Alabama basketball could find answers after a blowout loss in its first playoff game. Maybe head coach Nate Oats could find a roadmap.
The Saturday after the Tide lost to Florida, or maybe it was the Sunday, weekends get mixed up in March, Oats called Jim Boeheim. Alabama studied the data.
The best team doesn’t necessarily win the NCAA Tournament. Just ask last year’s UA squad. Syracuse had lost four of six going into March Madness and made a run twice. So did Frank Martin and South Carolina, leading to another Oats call.
Eventually, Oats needed more. His quest for efficiency and a better understanding of his team’s defense powered him. Oats contacted Nick Saban and asked a seven-time national champion what they needed to do.
