Nate Oats says Alabama basketball needing to learn same lesson repeatedly is 'mind-boggling'

Alabama basketball keeps having to learn the same lesson. Over and over.

It goes something like this: the Crimson Tide doesn't show up against a lesser opponent and loses. Then Alabama responds well in practice and goes out and puts together an impressive performance.

Sometimes that means a win; after losing to Georgia, Alabama went and beat Baylor. But sometimes it doesn't; the Crimson Tide lost to Missouri but then took Auburn to the final minutes in what was ultimately a loss. Still, a strong response.

Alabama has a similar circumstance on its hands to close out the regular season. After a 87-71 loss to Texas A&M on Wednesday, the Crimson Tide (19-11, 9-8 SEC) has a chance to respond against LSU (20-10, 8-9) on Saturday (11 a.m., CBS) in Baton Rouge.

"Why we continue to have to learn the same lesson over and over again this year is a little mind-boggling to me," Alabama coach Nate Oats said Friday.

The Tigers aren't ranked in the polls but they are seen as a top 20 team in both KenPom and NET rankings.

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Chances are good Alabama responds well to the Texas A&M loss. James Rojas said the past two practices have been good, and history shows that the Crimson Tide responds well to bad losses.

"I think we'll get a good effort down in Baton Rouge," Oats said. "Now we could play really hard and great basketball and still lose to LSU because they're that good of a team. But (Rojas) is correct. We've had two really good practices and guys have responded well like they have most of the season. We just can't afford any more of those games the rest of the year."

A win over LSU is necessary for Alabama to secure the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament considering all the teams within arms reach of each other in the middle of the conference. But a bounce-back win over the Tigers after the loss to the Aggies won't necessarily signify Alabama has smoothed out its up-and-down tendencies.

If anything, Alabama playing well on Saturday is predictable.

"We've responded well every time we've had these losses," Oats said. "We're at the point in the season where we can't afford those losses anymore."

The real test for this Alabama team to see if it can avoid playing down to its competition will come when it likely faces a lower seed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

March Madness is prime time for surprise losses if a higher seed overlooks a lower seed.

"We're going to do our best as coaches to make sure no matter who we get matched with in the NCAA Tournament, it's taken as seriously as Gonzaga, Baylor, Houston, Tennessee, these other teams we've taken very seriously," Oats said. "But the best way that happens is the internal leadership of the team makes sure that happens. That's what we need to get this thing to."

In terms of leadership, Oats said Rojas has been trying to be a vocal leader and has seemed comfortable in that role. Oats also mentioned Jaden Shackelford, who has tried to be a leader at times during the year.

"Sometimes he gets frustrated," Oats said. "You can't be frustrated as leaders. You can, but you still have to lead. Still have to talk and make your voice heard and continue to do it."

Point guard Jahvon Quinerly also has had his moments of vocal leadership, Oats said. Alabama will need that to be the case down the stretch.

"If he can play (as hard as the Baylor game) and be a lot more vocal like he was after the Georgia game," Oats said, "that's where I think we're our best team."

Contact Alabama reporter Nick Kelly: nkelly@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_NickKelly.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball needing to learn same lesson repeatedly is 'mind-boggling' say Nate Oats