Alabama Basketball Coach 'Disappointed with Myself' After SEC Tournament Loss

Crimson Tide fell to Ole Miss in quarterfinals, raising concerns about NCAA Tournament performance

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:49am

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Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats expressed disappointment in his team's effort and preparation following their 80-79 loss to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Oats acknowledged he failed to convince his players how good the Rebels were, leading to a lackadaisical performance where Ole Miss outshot and outrebounded the Crimson Tide. Alabama is likely to drop to a 4-seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, and Oats warned his team will be "one game and done" if they repeat this type of effort.

Why it matters

Alabama was expected to make a deep run in the SEC Tournament and secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament, but their stunning loss to Ole Miss raises concerns about the team's ability to perform at a high level in the big dance. Oats' self-criticism highlights the need for the Crimson Tide to refocus and play with more intensity if they hope to make a meaningful postseason run.

The details

The Crimson Tide fell behind early and never recovered, as Ole Miss led wire-to-wire in the 80-79 victory. Alabama, which had dominated its previous matchup with the Rebels, was outshot and outrebounded throughout the game. Oats lamented his failure to properly prepare his team for the threat posed by Ole Miss, which had already pulled off upsets of Texas and Georgia to reach the quarterfinals.

  • The SEC Tournament quarterfinal matchup between Alabama and Ole Miss took place on Friday, March 14, 2026.
  • Alabama had previously defeated Ole Miss 93-74 in Oxford back in February 2026.

The players

Nate Oats

The head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team.

Houston Mallette

A senior leader on the Alabama basketball team who took responsibility for the team's lack of preparation.

Chris Beard

The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels basketball team, who led his team to an unexpected run in the SEC Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“I'm a little disappointed with myself, just not being able to convince our guys how good this team was going to be. We didn't have an edge to us. They came out ready to play, and they kind of killed us on the effort stuff.”

— Nate Oats, Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

“I take full ownership, that's on me. I've got to be ready to play. I've got to get our team ready to play, and I did a terrible job of that this week.”

— Houston Mallette, Senior Leader, Alabama Crimson Tide

What’s next

Alabama will find out its NCAA Tournament seeding and opponent during the selection show on Sunday. Oats has warned his team that they will be "one game and done" in the tournament if they repeat the type of effort they displayed against Ole Miss.

The takeaway

This loss to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament highlights the need for Alabama to refocus and play with more intensity and preparation if they hope to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Oats' self-criticism and the players' acknowledgment of their poor preparation are positive signs that the team will learn from this experience, but they will need to translate that into a vastly improved performance when the big dance begins.