Alabama Basketball: Crimson Tide reaching new ‘best’ levels

There is no argument among Alabama Basketball fans. After Tennessee lost to Kentucky in Knoxville, the Crimson Tide is the best team in the SEC. Interestingly, based on current rankings, some sources still predict the Vols have an edge over the Crimson Tide. What is somewhat surprising is the number of college basketball pundits speculating Alabama might well be college basketball’s best team. Brandon Miller is arguably the best freshman in college basketball and a legit contender for the Naismith Award.

Debate about Tide vs. Vols will not be settled until Feb. 15, when the Crimson Tide goes to Knoxville. And that possibly will not be the end of head-to-head comparisons. The two teams are expected to be the favorites in the SEC Tournament and another big game might happen in March.

Even if one of the teams wins the SEC regular season and the SEC Tournament, naming the SEC’s best 2022-23 team could come down to which team progresses the furthest in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams are NCAA Tournament locks.

Before reviewing the various, current rankings sources, let’s review how the sources compare. The NCAA NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) is described as both a results-based and predictive rankings calculation. Except for SOR (Strength of Record) calculations, the best, solely results-based ranking is the KPI. ESPN’s BPI, along with Ken Pomeroy’s and Jeff Sagarin’s rankings are predictive. In the BPI and KenPOM rankings, Tennessee is predicted to beat Alabama in Knoxville. On the basis of those predictions, the Vols are ranked higher than the Crimson Tide, at No. 2 in both.

Alabama Basketball Rankings and Schedule

Currently, Alabama is the best team in the SEC and according to the KPI and Jeff Sagarin, the Crimson Tide is No. 2 nationally, trailing No. 1 Kansas in the KPI and No. 1 Houston by Sagarin. The NCAA NET has Tennessee No. 2 and Alabama No. 3. Alabama is No. 4 in the BPI and No. 5 by Pomeroy.

Enough about the Vols for now. There is lots of basketball ahead before Feb. 15, and if Kentucky can go into Knoxville and win, certainly so can the Crimson Tide.

More pressing for Alabama is six of its next nine games are on the road. Tuesday night Alabama will be in Nashville. The other five road games are at Missouri, at Oklahoma, at LSU, at Auburn and at Tennessee. SEC basketball history suggests the Crimson Tide will drop at least one of the road games. That history will be meaningless to Nate Oats’ current roster of players. To the extent there is doubt from Alabama fans, it is, will the freshmen continue to perform like veterans in every tough, road game?

What we Alabama basketball fans can know, on the basis of this season so far, is the 2022-23 team is potentially the Crimson Tide’s best-ever. Let’s enjoy the ride.