Alabama Basketball: Big Dance Bracketology Feb. 14
By Ronald Evans
Alabama Basketball has work to do, and it is best done by ignoring the ‘rat poison’ of poll rankings and NCAA Tournament bracketology. Job one, for the players and coaches, is handling Tennessee on Wednesday night in Knoxville.
Alabama Crimson Tide fans can afford to look ahead, to what has the potential of becoming Alabama’s best season ever. In that look-ahead mode, let’s dive into the most recent Bracketology, from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. ‘Joey Brackets’ does a good job season after season. Like predicting NFL Drafts, NCAA Tournament bracket projections are often short on accuracy. In some seasons, obscure bracketologists surpass Lunardi and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports in more accurate bracket projections. But the two, better-known pair are consistently good.
Alabama Basketball Big Dance Bracketology – Feb. 14
Lunardi’s most recent bracket projection includes a note about Crimson Tide Hoops.
"Alabama’s day as the top overall seed has finally arrived, and it is well earned… let’s remember one of the perks if the Tide can hold that spot: They would get to choose their first- and second-weekend NCAA destinations. Opening the tournament in Birmingham would go from “likely” to “lock,” along with presumably the South Regional in Louisville. In other words, the school’s first Final Four appearance just got another step closer."
By any measure that is a ‘Wow’ statement about the Crimson Tide. It is far too early for Alabama fans to celebrate, but not to appreciate what Nate Oats and his team are doing.
As Lunardi stated, as the overall top 1-seed, Alabama would begin the Big Dance in Birmingham. Based on the current projection, the Crimson Tide’s opening game would be against the play-in game, winner of Alcorn St. vs. Fairleigh Dickenson (FDU). With an opening-round win, Alabama would advance in Birmingham to a game against the currently projected NC State vs. Florida Atlantic winner.
Jumping forward to Big Dance week, two, Alabama Basketball would be in Louisville for a game against either Creighton, Liberty, Indiana or VCU. With a win and into the Elite Eight, the toughest potential opponents from the bottom of the South bracket are 2-seed Baylor and 3-seed Marquette. As currently projected, the Auburn Tigers are also in the bottom of the South bracket, as a 10-seed.
Other SEC Teams and Big Dance Bracketology
- Tennessee Vols; 3-seed
- Missouri Tigers; 7-seed
- Arkansas Razorbacks; 9-seed
- Texas A&M Aggies; 10-seed
- Auburn Tigers; 10-seed
- Mississippi State Bulldogs; 11-seed
- Kentucky Wildcats; First Four Out
Based on Lunardi’s current projection, Mississippi State would face North Carolina in a play-in game.
Next. Nate Oats contract extension was not enough. dark
As an FWIW opinion, the possibility of the SEC getting seven NCAA Tournament teams feels like less than 50%.