Alabama has hit a roadblock which coincidentally accompanies its controversial roster decision.
Since Charles Bediako’s much-criticized return nearly three years after he left the program for the NBA, the Crimson Tide have lost two of their last three games.
That has Alabama (14-7, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) outside the AP Top 25 for the first time this season entering Wednesday’s matchup against Texas A&M in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Bediako has been far from the problem, averaging 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds and shooting 73.3% from the floor in his first three games back in the college ranks.
Defense and ball security are far bigger culprits in the team’s recent struggles. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 100-77 loss at then-No. 19 Florida on Saturday in which they turned it over 18 times and allowed a gaudy 72 points in the paint.
Alabama’s up-tempo offense has the team third in the SEC in scoring offense (91.2 points per game), but it is undeniably playing a role in the Crimson Tide bringing up the SEC rear in scoring defense (82.3).
The team is a No. 5 seed in ESPN’s updated bracketology released Tuesday morning.
“It’s getting close to a tipping point,” Oats said. “We’re either going to start playing better and go on a run here, or we’re going to continue to play .500 basketball. That’s not what anybody came here to do.”
Things don’t appear to be getting any easier this week with a smoldering Texas A&M team coming to town.
Since a 2-2 start, the Aggies (17-4, 7-1) have won 15 of their last 17, including 10 of the last 11 after a 92-77 win at Georgia on Saturday.
In a battle of the league’s two highest-scoring offenses, Texas A&M jumped out to a 22-2 lead and led the rest of the way.
Rashaun Agee led the Aggies’ 46-39 rebounding advantage with a game-high 18 points and 15 boards for his 10th double-double of the season and his fifth in eight conference games.
Agee ranks second in the league in rebounds (9.0 per game).
Despite this extended run of success, Texas A&M enters the week as the first team out of the Top 25. That’s only serving as further motivation.
“I hope so,” Agee said when asked if the team has made believers out of everyone yet. “If not, it’s OK. We’ve got a lot of basketball left. We’re just going to continue to do what we do regardless.”
