In a disappointing turn of events, the Alabama men’s basketball team experienced their first loss in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play, falling 74-64 to Ole Miss at the Coleman Coliseum. This defeat marks the Crimson Tide’s first home loss of the 2024-25 season, dropping their overall record to 14-3 and SEC record to 3-1.
Alabama, previously riding high after a significant road victory against Texas A&M, struggled offensively throughout the game. Coach Nate Oats’ squad faced difficulties finding their rhythm, which hindered their performance on the court.
The matchup was initially billed as a significant SEC confrontation, with Alabama ranked No. 4 nationally and Ole Miss sitting at No. 21. However, the game’s start was marked by an array of turnovers from both teams, with Ole Miss managing to score the first two points at the 18:43 mark. At the first timeout with under 16 minutes remaining in the first half, the score stood at a mere 4-2 in favor of the Rebels. By the time the teams transitioned into halftime, Alabama rallied to a slight lead at 36-32, led by Aden Holloway’s nine points, though 11 turnovers in the first half highlighted their struggles.
Unfortunately for Alabama, the turnover troubles continued after the break, with Ole Miss seizing the opportunity to capitalize on these mistakes. The Crimson Tide managed only two points over a stretch of two minutes as the Rebels narrowed in for the lead, and by the under 12 timeout, Alabama found themselves trailing 46-42, having committed 18 turnovers leading to 19 points for Ole Miss.
Typically recognized for their potent offensive capabilities—ranked as the No. 2 offense in the country—Alabama’s shooting performance fell flat against Ole Miss. The team recorded a mere 43% shooting from the field and struggled even more with a disappointing 25% from beyond the arc. While players like Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood had shown promise earlier in the season, their contributions on Tuesday were insufficient, with Sears netting 11 points on 2-for-8 shooting and Youngblood scoring eight points on 3-for-10 shooting.
As Alabama now prepares to hit the road again for a game against Kentucky, they will undoubtedly need to address their turnover issues and improve their shooting if they hope to return to their earlier winning form. The silver lining for the Crimson Tide is that they have a chance for redemption and a meaningful response in their upcoming game.