Alabama Basketball: Complete Crimson Tide NCAA Tournament History

Mar. 15, 1985 – West Regional First Round – Albuquerque, NM

Alabama Crimson Tide 50 – Arizona Wildcats 41

Wimp Sanderson got the Crimson Tide rolling in 1985. The 23 wins for the season erased most doubt he should be the Tide’s head coach. An Arizona team led by Steve Kerr at guard was the Tide’s first NCAA conquest since beating St John’s in 1982.

Buck Johnson, Bobby Lee Hurt and Terry Coner led the Tide in scoring. An aggressive Tide defense held the Wildcats to 29 percent shooting for the game.

Mar. 17, 1985 – West Regional Second Round – Albuquerque, NM

Alabama Crimson Tide 63 – Virginia Commonwealth 59

VCU had fewer turnovers and nearly equal rebounds, but the Tide outshot the Rams. Even with the better field-goal percentage, it was the foul line where the Crimson Tide won the game. The Tide made 10 more free throws on nine more attempts. Bobby Lee Hurt with 13 points and Buck Johnson with 10, led the Tide in scoring.

Mar. 22, 1985 – Sweet Sixteen – Denver, CO

North Carolina State 61 – Alabama Crimson Tide 55

Jimmy Valvano’s Wolfpack was the No. 3 seed in the West. The Crimson Tide was No. 7.

The game was tied at halftime at 27-27. With better shooting, the Wolfpack got an edge in the second half. Opposite of the VCU game, NCSU shot nine more free throws, with eight more makes than the Tide.

Terry Coner led the Tide with 18 points. Buck Johnson had 16 points and 14 rebounds.