Alabama's March Edge Fades in SEC Loss

0:00On March 15th, Alabama's number two seed, Crimson Tide, fell to the number 15 seed, Ole Miss Rebels, and the quarterfinals of the southeastern, conference tournament Friday 9th. Coach Nate Oats praised Ole Miss for their hot streak under Coach Chris Beard, noting how they turned around a tough regular season to play connected, and hard. Guards aid in Holloway with 18 points in Laveron Fielan with 28 points joined Oats at the podium. Ole Miss jumped out strong dominating rebounds and effort plays early, while Alabama lacked the edge, Oats wanted. He admitted he could have done better convincing his team of the Rebels' improvements since their last meeting, where Alabama had rallied for a win. The Tide mounted a late comeback, cutting a 13 point deficit, but couldn't close it out. Players pointed to defensive lapses, like extra rebounds slipping away and trouble finishing drives against Ole Miss's length and switches. Byelon explained the final possession pass to Holloway as trying the right play amid

1:00heavy pressure. Oats regretted not calling time out there to set up something clear. Bright spots emerged with forward Taylor and Big Man Noah stepping up strong on defense, posting big plus minus numbers. Oats stressed the whole team needs soul-searching on effort, especially after light practices aimed at staying fresh amid injuries. Now Alabama shifts to the NCAA tournament with a solid seed locked in, but Oats warns that same early game softness means a quick exit. They must sharpen that march edge against hungry foes fighting for survival.