Alabama Basketball: Latest Bracketology and NCAA 1-seed chances
By Ronald Evans
Alabama Basketball: As Championship week rushes toward Selection Sunday, check out the latest Bracketology and Crimson Tide 1-seed chances.
Alabama Basketball is a solid 2-seed for the NCAA Tournament. Almost every bracket prediction has the Crimson Tide as the top 2-seed. Only a loss on Friday to the Mississippi State vs. Kentucky winner might push the Crimson Tide down to a 3-seed.
The most vulnerable, currently projected 1-seed is Illinois and should the Illini stumble on Friday, while the Tide gets to the SEC Championship Game, the fourth 1-seed could go to the Crimson Tide. Team Rankings predicts the Crimson Tide has a 40.7 percent chance for the fourth, 1-seed and Illinois’ chance is 37.4 percent. If the Crimson Tide goes 3-0 in the SEC Tournament and Illinois is 1-1 in the Big Ten Tournament, the odds might still favor the Tide. The same site gives the Tide a 57 percent chance to make the Sweet 16 and a 14 percent chance to make the Final Four.
Much can and will change over the next few days, but whatever transpires, Nate Oats’ Alabama Basketball team will have a high seed opportunity for a deep NCAA Tournament run.
There are 31 automatic bids in the Big Dance this year. Eleven of those slots were already determined by Tuesday. Gonzaga beat BYU for the West Coast Conference bid. Other NCAA Tournament teams are Loyola-Chicago, Winthrop, Liberty, UNC-Greensboro, Morehead State, Appalachian State, Drexel, Mount St. Mary’s, Cleveland State and Oral Roberts.
Perusing various Bracketologists shows predictions the Crimson Tide will play Cleveland State in the NCAA opening round.
Other NCAA Bracket Predictions and Rankings
ESPN Joe Lunardi
- Alabama Basketball – 2-seed
- Arkansas – 3-seed
- Tennessee – 6-seed
- Florida, Missouri and LSU – 8-seeds
- Ole Miss – 5th team out
CBS Jerry Palm
- Alabama Basketball – 2-seed
- Arkansas – 2-seed
- Tennessee – 5-seed
- Missouri – 6-seed
- Florida and LSU – 7-seeds
- Ole Miss- 3rd team out
Bracketville Dave Ommen
- Alabama – 2-seed
- Arkansas – 3-seed
- Tennesee – 5-seed
- Missouri, LSU and Florida – 7-seeds
- Ole Miss – 1st team out
- Alabama – No. 8
- Arkansas – No. 17
- Tennessee – No. 22
- LSU – No. 28
- Florida – No. 32
- Kentucky – No. 47
- Missouri – No. 48
- Ole Miss – No. 51
- Alabama – No. 11
- Arkansas – No. 14
- Tennessee – No. 18
- LSU – No. 29
- Florida – No. 30
- Kentucky – No. 48
- Missouri – No. 53
- Ole Miss – No. 58
ESPN BPI and Strength of Record (SOR)
- Tennessee – No. 11 (BPI) and No. 24 (SOR)
- Alabama – No. 14 (BPI) and No. 5 (SOR)
- Arkansas – No. 15 (BPI) and No. 7 (SOR)
- LSU – No. 24 (BPI) and No. 31 (SOR)
- Florida – No. 39 (BPI) and No. 39 (SOR)
- Ole Miss – No. 47 (BPI) and No. 62 (SOR)
- Missouri – No. 49 (BPI) and No. 23 (SOR)
- Kentucky – No. 57 (BPI) and No. 86 (SOR)
Alabama basketball fans will notice Pomeroy and Sagarin rate the Kentucky Wildcats as more formidable opposition than their 9-15 record indicates.
Next. SEC Basketball Power Rankings. dark
However the games play out, this will be a fun week for Alabama basketball fans. Not sweating the NCAA Bubble is a joy.