Alabama basketball is back in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season. Relish these days Crimson Tide fans. During the dark days of the end of the Mark Gottfried era through the Anthony Grant and Avery Johnson years, it didn't seem possible to even make the tournament in two consecutive seasons, much less five consecutive trips.
If you hear any Alabama fan talk of being "disappointed" in this team, remind them of that. Before Oats arrived, the Tide had made the NCAA Tournament just twice in 13 seasons.
With a 25-8 record and a third place finish in the SEC, perhaps the toughest league in college basketball history this year, the Crimson Tide earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will open the Big Dance against Robert Morris on Friday at 11:40 AM CT.
This is the fourth time in school history Alabama has earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and the second time under Nate Oats. They also earned the first 1-seed in program history two years ago under Oats.
What can history tell us about Alabama's fate in this year's March Madness:
The history of Alabama basketball as a 2-seed
1987: Lost in the Sweet 16
2002: Lost in the 2nd Round
2021: Lost in the Sweet 16
2025: ?
A 2-seed is actually tied for Alabama's most common seed. The Crimson Tide have been a 2-seed now four times; they've been a 5-seed and a 9-seed four times as well. The only seed 1-10 the Crimson Tide has never been is a 3-seed.
Alabama first earned a 2-seed in 1987 led by Wimp Sanderson and a team still considered among the best in school history. The Crimson Tide went 28-5 overall and won the SEC regular season and tournament titles, entering the NCAA Tournament on a nine game winnning streak.
Led by Derrick McKey and Jim Farmer III in the frontcourt along with sharpshooting guard Mark Gottfried, Alabama looked poise for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Rick Pitino and Providence had other plans and ousted the Tide in the Sweet 16 on their way to the Final Four.
It would be 15 more years before Alabama earned a 2-seed again. A player on the '87 squad, Gottfried was the head coach and led Alabama to an SEC regular season title, their first since the 1987 team.
Led by Erwin Dudley, Rod Grizzard, and Mo Williams, the 2002 Tide won 27 games. After handling Florida Atlantic in the first round, Alabama was stunned in the second round by Antonio Gates and 10-seeded Kent State.
It was 19 more years before Alabama got back to the 2-seed line and it happened in Nate Oats' second year as the head coach. Led by Herb Jones, the Crimson Tide won the SEC double (regular season and tournament). It was the first time they had accomplished that since Sanderson's 1987 squad.
Unfortunately, a poor shooting night doomed them in the Sweet 16 as Alabama fell to UCLA in overtime.
Interestingly enough, this is the first time Alabama has been a 2-seed where they didn't win either the regular season or SEC Tournament title.
The Crimson Tide has not had a history of sustained success in March Madness. Last year Oats broke through the glass ceiling and got Alabama to the Final Four for the first time. Can he lead them back there again this year?