5 reasons why Nate Oats could win 2024 NCAA championship title

Coach Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide take on the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed, the UConn Huskies, in the Final Four on Saturday night.

It means that Alabama is only two wins away from becoming the national champions for the first time and bringing Oats his first title win of his career.

As the No. 4 seed in the West, they beat Charleston, Grand Canyon, North Carolina and Clemson to advance to the Final Four for the first time. Now their focus shifts to UConn and a potential shot at the NCAA championship.

Here, we highlight five reasons why Nate Oats could win his first NCAA title this season.

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Five reasons why Nate Oats could win the 2024 NCAA championship title

#1 High octane offense

Because of the Crimson Tide's potent offense this year, Nate Oats' team is an overwhelming threat for any team in the NCAA Tournament.

With an average of 90.6 points per game this season, Alabama has the highest scoring offense. With an offensive rating of second in the nation, they are only surpassed by the UConn Huskies.

The high-powered offense has left a substantial void on the defensive side of the ball, though. This season, Alabama is ranked 306th in defensive rating and 356th in opponent points per game.

The offense has just been that good for Alabama, and they've won any shootout they've been involved in so far in the tournament.

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#2 Strength of schedule

Alabama's experience against the nation's top-ranked teams this season will come in handy as the tournament gets down to just four teams remaining. Nate Oats' squad ranks first in strength of schedule this season.

Although Alabama is just 2-7 against opponents ranked at the time of their matchup, which has given them nine games against ranked opponents this season during the regular season.

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#3 Free throw shooting

Being able to hit clutch free throws down the stretch of an NCAA Tournament game can often be the difference between winning and losing. Nate Oats' team is an outstanding free throw shooting team this season, which will likely be a huge benefit for them during these key games.

Alabama ranks eighth in the country in free throws made per game and 21st in free throw percentage at 77.1%. If the games come down to the wire, Alabama will be well prepared to make their free throw attempts count and push them to the finish line.

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#4 3-point shooting

A large part of the reason Alabama has scored at such a high rate this season is due to their ability to knock down shots from outside. The Crimson Tide are ranked 24th in 3-point percentage and second in the country for made 3-pointers.

Despite having attempted the third-most 3-pointers this season, they have become an incredibly productive offensive squad due to their ability to connect on those attempts.

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#5 The Mark Sears factor

Senior guard Mark Sears has been a massive weapon for Nate Oats all season and in the tournament. He's averaging 24.3 points per game through the first four games of the tournament and posted 30 points in Alabama's 109-96 first round victory over Charleston.

His ability to shoot from distance and score seemingly at will is something teams will be on high alert for in their remaining tournament games. That could open things up for the likes of Grant Nelson, Aaron Estrada or Rylan Griffen to take advantage of the attention that Sears gets and have a big game of their own.

Do you think Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide have what it takes to win the NCAA Tournament? Let's know in the comments section below.

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