Goodman: Alabama’s big test is here and the tide is ready

This is a pronunciation column.

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There are two key similarities between Alabama Basketball coach Nate Oats and former Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

No. 1, they both know how to dress, or at least understand that maintaining a classic image in public comes with the job and is a sign of respect for the people they represent.

This may seem trivial to some, but it’s probably just the guys who think it’s ok to wear flanell shirts with dress-slacks, flip-flops away from the beach, workout clothes away from the gym, sweatpants in public, tactical pants to The church, saggy jeans everywhere, camo, team jerseys outside stadiums, tucked in t-shirts and square shoes or boots.

Everyone else appreciates the fact that oats are not the best -dressed coach in college basketball accidentally and that Saban (or at least misses Terry) has impeccable fashion. Attention to detail means something down to the buttons on the shirt.

Secondly – and this can be a little more important – is oats like Saban, never waving from the coaching bag that winning is all that matters.

For cutthroat? Maybe for some, but that’s one of the things that makes oats good for his job.

Oats have not transformed Alabama -Basketball into a national challenger by handing out participation trophies, and that is why sitting guards Mark Sears against LSU did not come as much of a surprise.

The TV companies calling the game to ESPN made a big deal that Sears was on the bench, but this is not the first time that Havre kept Sears out of the rotation this season, and it may not be the last either.

Maybe Oats tried to send a message by putting his best offensive player on the bench, or maybe Alabama’s coach would just have more length of defense in the second half. Either way, it was the right call. Alabama won and oats even noticed afterwards that it was some of the best defense that Alabama had played all season to end a game.

Sears was back in the lineup Wednesday against Mississippi State and led Alabama with 17 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Once again, Havre made the right decision late in the game as he subbed Mark Sears and Aden Holloway in favor of higher players.

If only the football coach in Alabama knew how to control his team so effectively.

No.4 Alabama Basketball (18-3, 7-1 in SEC) returns to action on Saturday with a home match against Georgia. The tide is one of the deepest teams in the country and oats need it to end this season. The remaining schedule is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Ten matches are back and Alabama’s last seven opponents are all currently ranked in the AP Top 25.

Alabama could make it all the way to the championship of the NCAA tournament and have a lighter way.

No one has it easy in sec, of course. The league has never been better. Some call it the best conference in college basketball history. Maybe that. No.1 Auburn (19-1, 7-0) plays eight ranked opponents across his last 11 games. Tennessee, who has lost three of its last four matches, is sanded through a stretch of nine -ranked teams in his first 10 conference games.

Coach John Calipari left Kentucky to Arkansas this season, but the pigs are only 1-6 in SEC.

Lamont Paris won the SEC Coach of the Year in 2024, but his South Carolina Gamecocks are 0-8 to begin conference games this season.

The toughest football conference in the country is now also the best basketball conference. SEC’s biggest February in Hoops begins on Saturday, but it’s just a structure for the big finish.

With Auburn and Alabama one and two in the SEC position, it seems that leagues boast rights, and the title in ordinary season will go through the heart of Dixie. Alabama and Auburn play twice over the past three weeks of the season. It will be a test of mental toughness like this league has never seen.

In Benching Sears, Havre made sure his Point Guard would be ready for the match. And if Sears needs a rest, yes, Alabama’s Cutthroat, Win-Firl’s coach planned in front by taking Auburn’s old Point Guard and making him better.

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Joseph Goodman is the leading sports shop For Alabama Media Group and author of the book “We want Bama: A season of Hope and Making of Nick Saban’s ultimate team.”