Alabama Basketball: Complete Crimson Tide NCAA Tournament History
By Ronald Evans
Mar. 12, 1987 – Southeast Regional First Round – Birmingham, AL
Alabama Crimson Tide 88 – North Carolina A&T 71
Enjoying the familiar BJCC Arena, the Crimson Tide led by 10 points at the half and casually pushed away in the second half. Jim Farmer scored 29 points while Derrick McKey had 24 for the Tide, who shot 58 percent for the game.
Mar. 14, 1987 – Southeast Regional Second Round – Birmingham, AL
Alabama Crimson Tide 101 – University of New Orleans 76
The Privateers were less of a challenge for the Crimson Tide than were North Carolina A&T. The game was over in the first half as the Tide sprinted to a 58-39 lead. The only second-half drama was whether the Crimson Tide would reach 100 points.
Derrick McKey led the Tide with 26 points, followed by Mark Gottfried with 20, Jim Farmer with 19 and Terry Coner with 17 points. The Crimson Tide shot 73 percent for the game.
Mar. 19, 1987 – Sweet 16 – Louisville, KY
Providence Friars 103 – Alabama Crimson Tide 82
The Crimson Tide was the 2-seed while Providence was the 6-seed. With excellent, 64 percent first-half shooting the Tide still trailed by eight points at the break. The problem was the Friars shot even better. Providence coach, Rick Pitino had a motion offense that kept the Tide chasing, usually a step behind.
In the second half, the Tide’s shooting cooled while the Friars improved even more. The Crimson Tide’s defensive efforts had no answer for the Providence duo of Delray Brooks and Billy ‘The Kid’ Donavan. Providence shot 69 percent for the game, including 64 percent on 22, three-point attempts.
Jim Farmer had 24 points to lead the Crimson Tide.