Alabama Basketball: Crimson Tide’s NCAA path to another championship

Alabama Basketball: With the NCAA Big Dance field set, let’s review the path the Crimson Tide has toward six wins and an NCAA Championship.

Alabama Basketball is officially back in the NCAA Tournament field, for only the second time since the 2012 season, and only the third time since the 2006 season. Only three NCAA trips in 16 years have been difficult to endure. Disappointing Selection Sundays have not been much relieved by the Tide’s two NCCA Tournament victories going back to 2006.

In Tuscaloosa, there is a strong sense Nate Oats has changed the Tide’s NCAA chances. As a 2-seed, the Crimson Tide will go up against at least two teams it should beat in the 2021 field. In the same region with the 1-seed Michigan Wolverines, there may not be a team significantly better than the Tide.

As Nate Oats said on Sunday, when the Crimson Tide is playing its best, he believes it can beat any opponent. Oats is in no way suggesting it will be easy to advance to the Sweet 16, the Elite 8, or beyond. No NCAA opponent can be taken for granted. No game can be played without full attention to detail and maximum effort.

For the Crimson Tide, the Big Dance begins on Saturday, Mar. 20. The Crimson Tide is in the East Regional, though with all games in or near Indianapolis, geographical distinctions in the brackets are not relevant. The Tide’s first-round opponent is the 15-seed, Iona Gaels, coached by Rick Pitino.

The Gaels are 12-5 on the season and have won six straight games. They beat Fairfield for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. Pitino, in his first season at Iona, is taking his fifth team to an NCAA Tournament. His 1996 Kentucky team won the NCAA Tournament, as did his 2013 Louisville team. Pitino also took a third team to the Final Four; Providence in 1987. That Friars team knocked the Crimson Tide out of the Big Dance in the Sweet 16.

Rick Pitino has run afoul of the NCAA more than once. The results of one investigation led to him being fired by Louisville. Pitino has 782 wins as a college head coach. He also coached the Boston Celtics in the NBA. In NCAA Tournament games, his record is 54-19.

Saturday’s winner will play the winner of Connecticut vs. Maryland. The other top teams in the lower half of the East bracket are 3-seed Texas and 6-seed BYU.

Notwithstanding Pitino’s coaching success, his Iona will be outmatched by the Crimson Tide. But as Nick Saban would say, take nothing for granted, leave nothing to chance.