Alabama Basketball: An opportunity to make history
Alabama Basketball will play in its second Sweet 16 in three seasons this weekend, which speaks to the success of fourth-year coach Nate Oats. Dating back to his time at Buffalo, Oats has won the conference regular season and tournament championship in four of the last six years.
He is now doing things at the University of Alabama that haven’t often been done. This will be just the 10th Sweet 16 appearance in Alabama Basketball history, and only its third this century. Should the Crimson Tide find a way to advance, it would make just the second Elite Eight appearance in school history. Bama’s 2004 Elite Eight showing is the farthest the Crimson Tide has ever gone in the NCAA Tournament.
Nate Oats’ 2022-23 squad has already made history by earning Alabama’s first-ever no. 1 seed. It is just one win away from tying what has stood as the best NCAA Tournament run in Tide lore for nearly two decades. Bama has also set a new standard for most wins in a season with 31 (and counting). It broke the previous mark of 28, which was set by Wimp Sanderson’s 1986-87 team, before the NCAA Tournament even began.
These are just the major records that Bama Hoops can break this year, not even including other accomplishments or potential individual accolades.
Is this the best Alabama Basketball team ever?
Most would argue yes, but the truth is that this question cannot be answered yet, not while the current team’s story is still being written. As phenomenal as it has been all season, this year’s iteration of Bama Hoops will largely be remembered for how it finishes. The postseason means everything in college basketball, and the Big Dance is where the truly great teams make their mark in a permanent fashion.
Surely, this Alabama Basketball team will not be content just to be in the school record books. It has bigger aspirations in mind, and the ability to take this thing all the way. If the Crimson Tide are to accomplish their goals, they will do so by assuming the mindset they have had all year, the one that has gotten them to this point.
Bama's most up-to-date title odds. dark. Next
They will focus on one game at a time and take care of the business that’s in front of them.