Tuscaloosa, Ala.—Friday afternoon, Alabama Basketball Head Coach Nate Oats appeared on The Game with Ryan Fowler and answered a question about the standard Alabama Basketball has reached during his tenure.

"I would say that the standard is to work hard enough every year to compete for an SEC championship and be right in it every year." Oats said.

Coach Oats added, "College basketball is one-and-done. If you lose one game, you're out. So, to put the standard at national championship or bust is kind of stupid. Because even the NBA finals, Boston dominated but they didn't win in four, they won in five."

"You know, last year it came down to the last week. If we had beaten Tennessee at home, I think we would've won it. If we could've handled that adversity a little better, and go on the road and win at Florida we would've tied. We were right in it until the end, just our defense wasn't good enough to win it last year" stated coach Nate Oats.

Since arriving in Tuscaloosa nearly six years ago, Nate Oats has elevated the Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball program to unprecedented levels. Oats has led the Crimson Tide to four straight NCAA tournament bids, two Sweet Sixteen bids, the program's first-ever Final Four appearance, and its first-ever ranking as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

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This year, Oats is looking to get the Crimson Tide right back to where it finished last season, eyeing another SEC double-crown, Final Four appearance, and No. 1 seed.

As Oats has the Crimson Tide in a position to fulfill all of those goals and on a collision course with bitter in-state rival and the consensus No. 1 team in the country, the Auburn Tigers, the nation turns its eyes to the hardwood in Tuscaloosa, not the gridiron.

For more Alabama Baseball, Basketball, and Football content from Simon Besnoy, follow him on Twitter at @SimonBesnoy and stay tuned to Tide1009.com for daily news.

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