How Charles Bediako answered Nate Oats' challenge as Alabama took down No. 1 UNC

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats had a simple challenge for Charles Bediako leading into Sunday.

The Crimson Tide needs him to step up, Oats told the sophomore center.

"I don't think he had been playing his best basketball," Oats said.

Bediako hadn't reached double-digit scoring this season, and only once did he have double-digit rebounding numbers. He had a few multi-block games, but overall Bediako hadn't done anything dominant this season.

No better time than the present to change that. No better matchup than while facing the top-ranked team in the country.

Bediako had that opportunity Sunday in the third-place game against No. 1 UNC in the Phil Knight Invitational. Alabama was looking to avoid back-to-back losses after dropping a game to No. 20 UConn on Friday. And as the Crimson Tide battled, trying to win against the Tarheels in multiple overtimes, it needed someone to step up and be the hero.

BEATING NO. 1:How Alabama basketball used its depth to defeat No. 1 UNC in four overtimes

ALABAMA FOOTBALL:Could Alabama football still make the College Football Playoff? Examining every scenario

Bediako answered the call and Oats' challenge. The sophomore finished with 14 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks over 44 minutes as he led the No 18 Crimson Tide to a 103-101 victory.

He scored eight of his points and grabbed eight of his rebounds during overtime.

"Charles was huge," Oats said. "We needed him."

Bediako was vital on both ends of the floor for Alabama (6-1). His plus-minus was plus-18, best on the team.

Bediako often had to match up with UNC's Armando Bacot, a senior who earned All-NCAA Tournament honors and was a national player of the year finalist. It started from the first possession, and as Bacot tried to back him toward the basket, Bediako did well enough defending him that Bacot's shot didn't fall.

Bacot had his moments and finished 7-for-12 shooting with 20 points and 10 rebounds and didn't play much at the very end, but Bediako could have fared much worse in the matchup. In fact, when Bediako was out, that's often when bigs like Bacot had more success.

"As good as Bacot is, I thought Charles neutralized him pretty well," Oats said.

Some of Bediako's signature moments came in overtime, starting in the second extra period. Bediako dunked on the first possession, then went down the court and grabbed a defensive rebound to give Alabama the ball back. He had another dunk in the second overtime, too.

In the fourth overtime, Bediako put together some more clutch plays. He scored to give Alabama a 100-98 lead, then he added another basket later, grabbing a rebound and finishing with a layup to give the Crimson Tide a one-point lead in the final minute.

Then on the defensive end of the floor, he made a play to block a shot with nine seconds left. Originally, it was ruled goaltending but was overturned. Alabama got the ball, but the Crimson Tide immediately turned it over on the inbounding pass.

Bediako had to go to work again.

He got a steal with seven seconds left. That set up Jaden Bradley with a chance to make a free throw to give Alabama a two-point lead. That secured the victory.

"Played 44 minutes for a guy who’s not used to playing more than 20," Oats said. "For him to stay in for 44 minutes and not foul out is probably a record for Charles."

Consider the challenge officially accepted, and officially met.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How Charles Bediako answered Nate Oats' challenge as Alabama beat UNC