"We still haven't gotten to a Final Four": Alabama HC Nate Oats has a selfless answer to fifth anniversary queries ahead of Sweet 16 games

Nate Oats was hired by Alabama five years ago, and his tenure has been a successful one for the Crimson Tide. He arrived at the university in 2019 after four seasons as Buffalo's head coach and was charged with the responsibility of elevating the basketball program.

Ahead of Alabama's Sweet 16 encounter against North Carolina, Nate Oats was questioned about his five years in Tuscaloosa. The coach was unselfish with his response, citing the goal yet unachieved at the program, which is reaching the NCAA Tournament's Final Four.

“I think we've gotten the program turned around. We've been able to do what Greg (Bryne) hired us to do, that's getting this basketball program on a national level like about every other sports program at Alabama is. We still haven't gotten to a Final Four; to me, that's kind of the next step.”

Nate Oats wants to take Alabama to the Final Four

Charleston v Alabama

Alabama has never been to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four. The farthest the program has reached in March Madness is the Elite Eight, which happened in 2004. Nonetheless, Nate Oats wants to see that happen in the program under him, possibly this season.

He reiterated the need to beat North Carolina on Thursday to get the chance to advance in the competition. Oats has led the Crimson Tide to three Sweet 16s in his five years in Tuscaloosa. He commented on how huge that is in the current college basketball landscape.

“We have to win tomorrow to get a chance to win another game to get to the Final Four. Making the Final Four is not easy, you have to beat some good teams. You have to upset some teams.

“Somebody gave me a good stat the other day. There's been four teams in the country that have been in three of the last four Sweet 16s. I think this is accurate. It's us, Gonzaga who made like nine straight, which is crazy, Houston who we had a series with, and then Creighton.”

Without a doubt, Alabama has a tough challenge ahead against the No. 1-seeded Tar Heels. Nonetheless, Nate Oats is confident his team is more than capable of handling the Atlantic Coast Conference giant when they square up at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The Crimson Tide boasts the best offense in the country, and this could play a crucial role in the game. A win would give Bama a real opportunity to make the Final Four.