In both of Alabama's recent losses to Auburn and Missouri, the Crimson Tide has found itself in a big deficit before the first media timeout. Nate Oats doesn't want a repeat this Saturday against Kentucky.

Missouri's student section displayed a sign directed at Alabama's coach, Nate Oats, that read "DO NOT TOUCH OUR PLAYERS". The sign references an incident from the previous year where Oats physically separated players during a heated moment in a game against Missouri.

Oats said he'd spoken to a longtime friend in the NBA who told him it's all down to getting back to fundamentals, including improvement in guarding one-on-one, boxing out, sprinting back and communicating. He added that leadership on that starts from the top down, including himself.

For Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats, the week after Auburn felt a lot like the week after last season's loss to Tennessee. Why he reminded players.