Alabama Basketball: March 11th NCAA Bracket Watch
By Ronald Evans
Check out where Alabama basketball stands in projected NCAA Brackets after the Kentucky loss, plus the NCAA chances for other SEC teams.
For the first time in too many seasons, Alabama basketball fans can look forward to Selection Sunday. A 15 loss team cannot be considered a lock but at this point, no NCAA bid for the Crimson Tide would shock the Bracketologists. So Alabama basketball fans will be nearly stress-free while waiting for the Sunday afternoon bracket reveal.
With seven Quadrant 1 wins and a Strength of Schedule now at No. 3, the Tide is no Bubble team. Davidson could steal a bid this afternoon by beating Rhode Island. If that happens, some school other than Alabama will get bumped from the NCAA field.
So get ready Alabama basketball fans. For only the second time in 12 seasons, the Tide will return to the Big Dance.
A closer look at current bracket projections
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has eight SEC teams in the NCAA field.
- No. 3 Seed – Auburn
- No. 3 Seed – Tennessee
- No. 5 Seed – Kentucky
- No. 6 Seed – Florida
- No. 7 Seed – Arkansas
- No. 7 Seed – Texas A&M
- No. 8 Seed – Missouri
- No. 9 Seed – Alabama
Jerry Palm has eight SEC teams in the NCAA field.
- No. 3 Seed – Tennessee
- No. 4 Seed – Auburn
- No. 5 Seed – Kentucky
- No. 6 Seed – Arkansas
- No. 6 Seed – Florida
- No. 7 Seed – Texas A&M
- No. 8 Seed – Missouri
- No. 10 Seed – Alabama
Teamrankings.com has the Tide a No. 10 seed after the Kentucky loss. The projected probability for the Tide making the NCAA Tournament field is 83.5 percent.
Lunardi and Palm get the most attention but almost every season lesser known Bracketologists out-pick them. Last year the best was this guy, who has the Tide as a No. 9 seed playing in Charlotte against Providence. Lunardi also has the Tide in Charlotte, against Creighton. Jerry Palm has the Tide playing in Nashville against TCU.
SEC teams and RPI
The list below is the current RPI for each SEC team in the NCAA Tournament conversation, from live-rpi.com.
- Tennessee – 8
- Auburn – 12
- Kentucky – 19
- Arkansas – 27
- Texas A&M – 30
- Alabama – 38
- Missouri – 44
- Florida – 46
How deep can the Tide go in the Dance? A healthy Donta Hall is a necessity. Preliminary word is Hall should be cleared for the Tide’s first NCAA Tournament game. Beyond that, the lesson of the season is the Tide can beat almost anyone. Unfortunately, the opposite of losing to almost anyone has also been true.
Let’s not get too far ahead. Secure a bid on Sunday and play two next week would be a huge success story.
Next: Tide's Alexis Osorio ties NCAA strikeout record with 21
The NCAA Selection show is at 5 PM CST on Sunday. In a different format this season, the entire field will be revealed alphabetically early in the show.