How do you bench your best scorer, someone who led you to the Final Four? That’s the question many fans are asking after Nate Oats made the surprising decision to bench Mark Sears against LSU. Alabama has been performing exceptionally well this year, even securing a win over Kentucky on their home court. Coincidentally, Sears has been playing at a high level too—whenever the point guard excels, the whole team tends to thrive. But what happened in the LSU game shocked everyone, including Sears himself.
‘On The Field of 68: After Dark’, analysts Rob Dauster, Terrence Oglesby, and John Fanta covered this shocking incident. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen him spend the second half of the game on the bench,” said Dauster, referencing Alabama’s game against the Fighting Illini. Sears couldn’t get it going in the first half and didn’t play in the second, ending the game with zero points. “We were told it was voluntary against Illinois. I’m gonna go and assume we were told the truth there.”
The analyst continued, providing his commentary on what may have happened. “It seems like there’s a little bit of a disconnect between Nate Oats and Mark Sears in terms of what Nate Oats wants and what Mark Sears is providing.”
“He’s just getting outplayed, he’s getting beaten out. You load up your rosters because of this situation. If you’re not playing well, somebody else on the bench is playing well? That guy’s gonna play.” Oglesby chimed in. However, he gave the point guard the flowers that he deserved, offering a calmer perspective to Oats’ decision. “Mark Sears is a fantastic player, but there’s gonna be times you go oh-for-five, and Aden Holloway is gonna better on that particular night. It’s not saying that you’re bad at anything, it’s just saying that guy is really good.”
Oglesby talked about how the restricted minutes were less about Sears performing badly, but more about winning the game and giving an opportunity to someone who might do well. And Holloway did do well. The young guard dropped 19 points, leading Bama in scoring, as the Crimson Tides won against the Tigers. Still, a lot of questions surround Nate Oats and his call. What was going on in his mind while he benched Sears?
Nate Oats’ decision to bench Mark Sears ‘strategic’? Or a sign to push harder?
Mark Sears had tears in his eyes as he sat out the second half. The benching really affected him, and why wouldn’t it? He had been leading the team in scoring, doing it all, however it did not matter. His mother posted on Facebook, disagreeing with the decision while simultaneously respecting the coach’s call.
On Hey Coach with Nate Oats, the coach sat down to discuss everything Crimson Tides. When asked about the benching of Sears, he had a lot to say. “Sometimes you need somebody to push you. I think that’s part of my job as a coach, to push them way harder than they push themselves. It would be nice if everybody pushed themselves to their limit on their own, but that’s not just human nature.”
Jan 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oates talks with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Oats explained that the decision to bench Sears was intended to motivate the team to play harder. He also mentioned that Sears had an “unbelievable” practice on Monday after the setback, suggesting the move had its desired effect. However, many believe there are other ways to get the message across.
Benching Sears was a gamble, but it paid off as Alabama went on to beat LSU by 7 points, advancing their March Madness campaign. Yet, it remains to be seen how Sears will bounce back from such a setback. What do you think? Will Alabama make another Final Four run? Can Mark Sears lead them to win it all? Only time will tell.
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