Tennessee loss reminds again Alabama basketball isn't invincible. Can Tide learn from it?

Until the end of the NCAA Tournament, holding the No. 1 ranking is nothing more than a feather in the cap.

It maybe means more in February than it does in November. Still, the two equate to the same when it comes to championships: nothing.

Nonetheless, there was reason for Crimson Tide fans to celebrate it this past week when Alabama basketball finally landed back in the top spot for the first time since 2002. It showed progress for the program. It was indeed a feather in coach Nate Oats’ cap as he continues to build the Crimson Tide into a national basketball brand.

Then Tennessee took that feather and stomped on it Wednesday.

The Vols showed why they’re the top team in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom as they held Alabama to a season-low 59 points. The Crimson Tide entered the week with the No. 13 offense, and yet, it looked far from it as the Vols won 68-59.

There has been plenty to remind this month and this season of why Alabama has a shot to compete for a national championship. This Crimson Tide team can be special. But there are moments, like in Knoxville and Norman, Oklahoma, where the Crimson Tide (22-4, 12-1 SEC) has shown it is not invincible.

Alabama is dangerous, but it can be beaten.

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Turnovers are often an ingredient included in that loss formula. In all four defeats this season to UConn, Gonzaga, Oklahoma and now Tennessee (20-6, 9-4), turnovers have been in the double digits. There were 19 against the Huskies, 21 against the Bulldogs, 13 against the Sooners and 19 against the Vols, a high for SEC play.

Tennessee deserves credit for how well it defended the Crimson Tide and forced those turnovers. Eleven of them were steals. The Vols have an impressive defense. There were going to be plays made that went in Tennessee’s favor, but there shouldn’t have been that many.

The Vols play a physical brand of basketball, and Alabama can, too. The Crimson Tide just didn’t match that enough to be able to win Wednesday.

“We didn’t finish at the rim well,” Oats said. “They’ve got shot-blocking. They’ve got presence at the rim. We shot 6 of 20 at the rim. 30%. If you finish 30% at the rim and you have 19 turnovers, you’re going to make it really hard on yourself to win.”

The matchup vs. Tennessee wasn’t the first one that was physical. Just look to the Auburn game this past week. Alabama found a way to outlast the Tigers, though, and push through to the win.

Houston was similar. The Cougars also brought physicality to the matchup with the Crimson Tide, but Alabama found a way to battle and emerge with the victory back in December.

“Houston’s physicality and pressure bothered us early, but I thought we settled in and did a better job late,” Oats said. “We got more stops against Houston late, too. Our defense was not the issue tonight overall, but we couldn’t get stops late when we needed to, and we did against Houston.”

Against Oklahoma, Alabama clearly didn’t show up to play and had an off day as the unranked Sooners crushed them 93-69 in late January.

The game against the Vols had a different feel. Sure, Tennessee had lost its past two games on buzzer-beaters, but it’s still the No. 11 team in the country.

It was a premier matchup, and Alabama couldn’t find a way to push through the physicality of the Vols and get into any sort of offensive rhythm.

Most teams Alabama faces in March won’t be as good as Tennessee on defense, but this likely won’t be the last time the Crimson Tide gets into a tough battle where each bucket has to be earned.

Alabama wasn’t up to the task in Knoxville. Whether it will be able to win a similar game in the postseason will depend on whether the Crimson Tide can truly learn from the Tennessee loss and get better.

That will be key if Alabama not only wants to be No. 1 in February but also on April 3.

Nick Kelly covers Alabama football and men's basketball for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter: @_NickKelly