Following an impressive victory over Texas A&M earlier this week, the Alabama men’s basketball team faced a setback in Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday, losing 74-64 against Ole Miss. This marked their first loss in SEC play and their initial home defeat of the 2024-25 season, dropping their record to 14-3 overall and 3-1 in conference action.
Alabama’s performance appeared disjointed on offense throughout the game. Next, they prepare to go on the road again, facing Kentucky on Saturday.
Here are three key takeaways from the match:
Slow Start
The matchup had been highly anticipated, with Alabama ranked No. 4 and Ole Miss at No. 21 nationally. However, the initial moments were uncharacteristic of an elite SEC clash, with both teams struggling to maintain possession. Ole Miss scored first, and by the first media timeout, the score was a mere 4-2 in favor of the Rebels.
Alabama gradually found its rhythm, highlighted by Aden Holloway’s nine points leading into halftime, where they exited with a narrow lead of 36-32. However, Alabama’s 11 turnovers in the first half, which allowed Ole Miss to capitalize for nine points, underscored a troubling trend.
Turnover Troubles
The turnover issues plagued Alabama further into the second half. By contrast, Ole Miss maintained a more disciplined performance. With just over 15 minutes left, the Rebels took the lead, and by the under 12-minute timeout, Alabama trailed 46-42, having gone through a two-minute scoring drought and accruing 18 turnovers, which directly resulted in 19 points for Ole Miss.
Under Coach Nate Oats, the most turnovers a team historically achieved was 24, and on this night, Alabama managed to commit 21 turnovers in total, allowing Ole Miss to exploit this weakness.
Offensive Struggles
Despite being recognized as having the No. 2 offense nationally, Alabama could not execute as expected against Ole Miss. The team struggled with shooting, finishing at only 43% from the field and a dismal 25% from beyond the arc. Although previous games suggested a remedy to these issues, the Crimson Tide’s performance against the Rebels was lackluster, with both Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood contributing modestly to the scoring. Alabama ended up with its lowest scoring output of the season, leading to a disappointing home loss.
Looking ahead, Alabama aims to regroup before their critical matchup against Kentucky. The loss serves as a reminder of the challenges faced during the season, but it presents an opportunity for growth and improvement before navigating the rest of the SEC schedule.