Alabama Basketball: Complete Crimson Tide NCAA Tournament History
By Ronald Evans
Mar. 14, 1982 – Mideast Region First Round – Uniondale, N.Y.
Alabama Crimson Tide 69 – St. John’s 68
Even if the arena was out on Long Island, no southern college basketball team, other than Kentucky, was expected to go into New York and beat a Lou Carnesecca team. Carnesecca was a St. John’s and East Coast legend, who grew up playing New York City basketball. Whatever his teams lacked in talent, they more than made up for with toughness.
Future pros, Chris Mullin and Bill Wennington led the St. Johns team. In 1982, the Redmen (later changed to Red Storm) were a tough group. So were the Crimson Tide, with Eddie Phillips, Bobby Lee Hurt, Ennis Whatley, Mike Davis and Eric Richardson.
The Crimson Tide led comfortably at the half but St. John hung around and pushed back late. Davis, Whatley and Richardson harrassed St. John’s to 21 turnovers. The Tide needed the resulting extra possessions and Eddie Phillips going 10-for-10 at the foul line to win.
Mar. 19, 1982 – Sweet Sixteen – Raleigh, NC
North Carolina 74 – Alabama Crimson Tide 69
It was not Chapel Hill, but playing the Tar Heels in the state of North Carolina is not fair. The Crimson Tide is to be commended for keeping the game close. The Dean Smith roster included future NBA legends, Sam Perkins, James Worthy and Michael Jordan. Eddie Phillips led the Tide in scoring with 16 points, followed by Bobby Lee Hurt with 12 points.