Expectations were all over the map a year ago for the Alabama Crimson Tide and new head coach Nate Oats. So, whether Bama overachieved or underachieved was a moving target. We forecasted an 11-7 finish in the SEC, three games off their 8-10 finish. That’s the difference between fifth and ninth.
As we’ve written, Oats subscribes wholly to the pace-and-space style that’s filtered down from the NBA. The Tide played fast, attacked early, and hunted for 3-pointers or layups. In some senses, it was more uptempo offshoot of the Houston Rockets’ style. They unleashed Kira Lewis Jr.