Just over a week after the biggest domino fell for Alabama basketball's 2026-27 non-conference schedule with the Players Era Festival field being announced, Nate Oats took another step toward filling out the Crimson Tide's schedule.
On Friday, Yea-Alabama made the announcement of a home-and-home series for Alabama with a Big East opponent, just not the one most figured.
Once former Alabama assistant Bryan Hodgson left South Florida for Providence, it seemed like only a matter of time before the Tide and Friars lined up a series. Oats had already signed an agreement to play multiple games against South Florida with Hodgson as the coach.
Instead, Alabama's new Big East opponent came from way out in left field.
The Crimson Tide will start a home-and-home series against Seton Hall, with the first leg of the series on November 13th in Coleman Coliseum:
Alabama basketball has scheduled a home-and-home series with Seton Hall, @yea_ala announced.
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) May 15, 2026
The Pirates will come to Tuscaloosa on Friday, Nov. 13, with the return game in New Jersey during the 2027-28 season.https://t.co/dUwseExfds pic.twitter.com/jT8DoPzPE8
Alabama Basketball sets a home-and-home series with Seton Hall
Seton Hall is coached by former Pirates guard Shaheen Holloway, who once led St. Peter's to a stunning run to the Elite Eight in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Holloway undertook a rebuilding job with his alma mater and has led them to a 70-65 record in four years, but has yet to make the Big Dance.
Holloway did lead the Pirates to the 2024 NIT Championship, however.
Alabama and Seton Hall have met just twice previously in history. The Crimson Tide took the first meeting in the 2001 NIT, with the Pirates winning the last meeting in the 2010 Paradise Jam Tournament.
Seton Hall is Alabama's second Big East opponent on the 2026-27 schedule. The Tide will face off with St. John's in Birmingham on December 12th, which is the return trip for Rick Pitino's team after Alabama made the trek to Madison Square Garden in November of last season. There, Oats and company earned one of their biggest wins of the season.
Oats still has some work to do to fill out Alabama's non-conference schedule. Along with Seton Hall and St. John's, Alabama has the Players Era Festival, a road game at South Florida that doesn't yet have a confirmed date, and then an opponent in the SEC/ACC challenge.
Oats has consistently put Alabama through the wringer in non-conference action. The Tide has played one of the most challenging out-of-conference schedules in college basketball year-over-year under Oats. That's unlikely to change next season, even with the roster not yet finalized.
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