Alabama Basketball: Complete Crimson Tide NCAA Tournament History
By Ronald Evans
Mar. 18, 2004 – Phoenix Regional First Round – Seattle, WA
Alabama Crimson Tide 65 – Southern Illinois 64
The Crimson Tide was given an at-large bid following a 17-12 season. As the Tide built NCAA momentum, Mark Gottfried kept saying his team was not very good. Though he was not serious, the team had weaknesses it found a way to overcome in the Tournament.
The Crimson Tide was an 8-seed. The Salukis were a 9-seed. The Crimson Tide led by 10 points at halftime and had to hang on to win. Southern Illinois was hot outside the arc in the second half. For the game, they outshot and outrebounded the Tide. Eleven more free throw attempts and nine more made foul shots saved the Tide.
Antoine Pettway made a short runner with five seconds to go for the game-winner. The Salukis had a final chance but missed a long attempt.
Ernest Shelton led the Tide with 18 points, followed by Kennedy Winston with 14 points.
Mar. 20, 2004 – Phoenix Regional Second Round – Seattle, WA
Alabama Crimson Tide 70 – Stanford 67
Stanford was the region’s 1-seed with a 30-1 record. National college basketball pundits gave Mark Gottfried’s team no chance of winning.
The Cardinal had the game seemingly under control with a 13-point lead and just over three and half minutes remaining. The Tide busted a near-miracle 16-0 run to take the lead. Until the run began the Tide had clanged shot after shot in the second half.
Stanford’s star player, Josh Childress managed just 12 points before fouling out with over three minutes to go. Stanford might have pulled off a comeback but the Crimson Tide was 10-of-14 at the foul line in the last minute of the game. Kennedy Winston led the Crimson Tide with 21 points. Ernest Shelton had 14 points, while Antoine Pettway and Chuck Davis had 12 points each.