He's indispensable to Mike White's squad, which was recently ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since long before either coach in Saturday's contest arrived at their respective schools (as Oats pointed out).

Nate Oats still hasn't locked in Alabama basketball's starting five for Mississippi State. Will Mark Sears be in it after getting benched against LSU?

Ever wanted to play for Alabama basketball? You need to make it through a Nate Oats practice first. Here's your survival guide.