Alabama Basketball: Lots of current and future love for Tide hoops
By Ronald Evans
Based on a ‘whole lotta love’ for Alabama Basketball, Nate Oats is building a Crimson Tide powerhouse. An exact, future ceiling for Alabama Basketball cannot be known. What Crimson Tide fans can be confident in is the ceiling is high.
Coming off a 16-15 season in 2020, Nate Oats was bullish on his Crimson Tide throughout the 2021 season. On multiple occasions, he expressed confidence the ’21 team was capable of a Final Four appearance. Many national college basketball pundits agreed.
Performances against Iona, Maryland and UCLA enhanced the Tide’s NCAA resume. The Alabama Crimson Tide did not make the Elite Eight. But with UCLA knocking off Michigan and coming close to taking down Gonzaga in the Final Four, the Tide’s loss to the Bruins was not a major blemish. The final Coaches Poll shows the high respect for the Crimson Tide.
Final Coaches Poll Top Ten
- Baylor
- Gonzaga
- Houston
- Michigan
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- UCLA
- Illinois
- USC
- Florida State
From 15 losses a season ago in 31 games, the Crimson Tide lost just seven times in 33 games. The 26 wins were the most in any season going back to 2002. Measured by winning percentage, the ’21 team’s 78.8 percent is the best since 1987 when Wimp Sanderson’s team won 84.8 percent.
With the addition of big man, Charles Bediako, the incoming class Nate Oats has assembled is the best in the SEC and No. 3 in the nation. Calling the Alabama Basketball future bright is an understatement.
Alabama Basketball and Early 2021-22, Top 25 Polls
Jeff Goodman was derided for most of last season for being too sold on the Crimson Tide. Before others got on the Crimson Tide bandwagon, Goodman was touting the Crimson Tide as a Top 10, even Top 5 team. The final Coaches Poll vindicates Goodman’s opinion. Goodman’s take on the ’22 Tide’s pre-season ranking argues the Tide was no one-season wonder.
Jeff Goodman ‘Way-Too-Early Top 10
- Gonzaga
- Ohio State
- UCLA
- Purdue
- Maryland
- Kansas
- Duke
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Florida State
- Baylor
In Goodman’s Top 25, he has Arkansas at No. 14 and Kentucky at No. 15. No other SEC teams made his list.
Gary Parrish Preseason Top 10
- UCLA
- Gonzaga
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Duke
- Baylor
- Ohio State
- Florida State
- Michigan
- Purdue
- Kansas
In Parrish’s Top 25 ranking are SEC teams; No. 14, Kentucky; No. 16, Arkansas and No. 20 Tennessee.
SI.com Preseason Top 10
- Gonzaga
- Michigan
- Duke
- Ohio State
- UCLA
- Houston
- Baylor
- Purdue
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Florida State
Other SEC teams in the SI.com Top 25 are No. 15, Kentucky; No. 17, Arkansas; No. 20, Tennessee and No. 23 LSU.
Alabama Basketball fans looking for some preseason cake-icing can turn to the Washington Post. In the Post’s preseason Top 25, Alabama Basketball leads the way at No. 1.
Next. Keep up with Will Anderson and a certain number. dark
Crimson Tide fans have justification for optimism. There will be significant roster changes for scores of teams before next season tips off. Later preseason rankings, destined to be different, are not likely to lower expectations for the Crimson Tide.