Alabama coach Nate Oats previews Sweet 16 showdown with BYU – Deseret News

[ad_1]

NEWARK, New Jersey — It’s quite the change of pace for Alabama. Literally.

In Sunday’s Round of 32 matchup against Saint Mary’s, the Crimson Tide allowed just three made 3-pointers to a Gaels squad that ranks No. 360 nationally in tempo.

Thursday, however, Alabama will take on BYU — one of the fastest, hottest offenses in the sport — with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”

Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.

“I think since maybe Feb. 12, we looked up, they’ve got the No. 1 offense in the country,” Tide coach Nate Oats told reporters Wednesday. “And they play in a good league in the Big 12 with some really good defensive teams.”

“They’re pretty much good at everything … so our defense will get tested against these guys on Thursday.”

—  Alabama coach Nate Oats on BYU

Oats has long been familiar with Cougars coach Kevin Young, having become acquainted during Young’s tenure as an NBA assistant when Oats visited the Phoenix Suns training camp on multiple occasions.

In his first season in Provo, Young has developed an offensive attack that Oats greatly admires — but now, he’ll have to try and solve it.

“Hopefully we continue to play well on offense, but our defense is going to have to be at an elite level with BYU,” Oats said. “They’re in transition, they’re good in the half-court, they’re good on the boards. They’re pretty much good at everything, they’re great in pick-and-rolls, so our defense will get tested against these guys on Thursday.”

Make no mistake — Alabama is clearly an offensive juggernaut itself. The Crimson Tide are the highest scoring team in the country, ranking No. 4 nationally in offensive efficiency and making 10.2 3-pointers per game.

Pitting two explosive units against one another Thursday should make for some wildly entertaining basketball, but Alabama knows its key to besting BYU lies on the…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/03/26/alabama-byu-sweet-16-matchup-nate-oats/

Author :

Publish date : 2025-03-26 22:15:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.