TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It was a reality check that the Alabama basketball team had yet to face this season. Saturday’s 65-62 defeat to Central Florida marked Alabama’s second defeat of the season, albeit the first in which the Crimson Tide finished with five men on the court.



More so, it was a game Alabama could have and should have won inside of Coleman Coliseum. Alabama (6-2) didn’t play up to its typical offensive standard, shooting a season-low 43.1 percent from the court while failing to score 70 points for the first time this season.

Things needed to be sorted out and the Crimson Tide players were determined to get to the bottom of it. Following the game sophomore guard Dazon Ingram organized a players-only meeting as Alabama attempted to clear things up heading into what will be an important week with games against Rhode Island (5-2) and Arizona (5-3).

“He was just saying we need to be more of a team, become closer than we already are and just keep believing in what Coach is saying,” freshman forward Herbert Jones said.

While Saturday’s loss was disappointing, Alabama is far from crisis mode. The loss to UCF can primarily be chalked up to a down performance from the Crimson Tide’s three leading scorers. Guards Collin Sexton, John Petty and Dazon Ingram combined for just 25 points and shot 6 of 22 on the afternoon.

“I feel like everyone’s going to struggle at some point during the season,” Jones said. “It just so happened to be Sunday. I feel like we’ll learn from it and get past it.”

How Alabama responds to its first taste of adversity will be crucial as the Crimson Tide enters its most challenging week of the season to date. Alabama will host Rhode Island on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Tucson, Ariz., for a game against Arizona on Saturday. Rhode Island entered the week No. 10 in the NCAA’s RPI rankings, while Arizona was ranked as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press top 25 earlier this season.

As far as Johnson’s concerned, Sunday’s players-only meeting is a step in the right direction.

“I think that’s positive leadership,” Johnson said. “I don’t think you have to have one after every game. I think the bad teams have too many of them. So I think at the appropriate time they are good for a team to get together, especially when the head coach or the coaching staff doesn’t have anything to do with it.”

Sunday’s meeting has to be encouraging to Johnson. While he still doesn’t know exactly what was discussed, he has been pleading for more communication among his players all season. The head coach even joked the newfound interaction might have supernatural effects.

“The great thing about that team meeting, guess what I think happened. Nobody probably had their cellphones, so they probably talked to each other,” Johnson said with a smile. “Wow, that’s why it’s raining. Maybe it will snow outside.”