Nate Oats hopes to see Alabama basketball take Georgia seriously in Coleman Coliseum.
Georgia doesn't come into the matchup with a ranking, but the Bulldogs were No. 23 in the Top 25 after pulling out a stunner against then-No. 6 Kentucky and another over No. 17 Oklahoma.
Oats has yet to see Alabama (18-3 - 7-1 SEC) treat what could be perceived as lesser SEC opponents with the regard it has for teams like Texas A&M, the Wildcats, or Mississippi State on the road. At least not since the league opener against Oklahoma.
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Alabama's offense is more productive on the road than it is at home. Oats told reporters on Friday that the Crimson Tide's 85-plus point totals in six straight away games is the longest single season streak in SEC history.
"I think maybe that's our guys mentality," Oats said. "They know it's going to be tough. It seems like these guys rise to the occasion when they know it's going to be a tough game."
Oats questioned why players "aren't getting ourselves up" when playing for fans at home, saying he doesn't understand Alabama's not giving "the same type of respect to some of the opponents."
"It's a little frustrating. I'd like to see us come in and show the same respect to Georgia because they deserve it," Oats said. "I mean, this team's beat Kentucky, it was a two point game with Auburn, who's the best team in our league, metric-wise, by a long shot. So this team is needs our full respect."
Then, the word "mature" popped up again.
"We've tried to tell them," Oats said. "I hope we play with the sense of urgency and effort that it takes to be a really good team like Georgia."
Oats appreciates the "sense of urgency" on the road. He just wants to see it at home when Alabama and Georgia (15-6, 3-5) tip off at 3 p.m. CT in Coleman on Saturday.
"We just got to come up with the same level of respect in every game," Oats said.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nate Oats wants Alabama basketball to give Georgia 'full respect'
