Alabama women's basketball concluded its regular season on Sunday, falling in Norman 91-84 to 13th-ranked Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide finished 23-7 overall and 10-6 in SEC play, earning the 6-seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
Alabama is just one win away from equaling a program-high under head coach Kristy Curry, and just three wins away from tying a program-record 26 wins set by Rick Moody's 1994 Final Four team.
Following an upset win over LSU on Thursday, Alabama moved into a 4-seed in ESPN's bracketology. Being a top four seed in the women's NCAA Tournament is important because it means you get to host the first two rounds. Alabama hasn't made the second weekend of the tournament in 26 years; hosting the first two rounds in the tournament would go a long way in ending that streak.
Where does the Crimson Tide stand following Sunday's loss?
ESPN's updated Bracketology has Alabama holding steady
According to ESPN's Charlie Creme, Alabama remains a projected 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament following the road loss to the Sooners.
The projected bracket has Alabama in the Spokane Region and hosting the first two rounds in Tuscaloosa. The projected opening round matchup would be against 13-seeded Missouri State, which is projected as the Missouri Valley Conference champion. The Lady Bears are 22-7 and finished MVC play at an impressive 14-4.
Winning that game would likely set up a matchup with 5-seeded Baylor, a team that is still very much alive for a 4-seed in their own right. The Bears finished second in the Big 12 with a 25-6 overall record and 15-3 mark in conference play. It would be a tremendous challenge, but hosting the game at Coleman Coliseum could play a vital role in who comes out on top.
The Crimson Tide finished 15-2 at home this season with one of the losses coming to South Carolina.
To hang on to a 4-seed, it's likely that Alabama will need to win at least one game in the SEC Tournament. As a 6-seed, the Crimson Tide will get a first-round bye and will play their first game on Thursday, March 6th against the winner of Auburn and Florida. A win in that game will set up a rematch against LSU in the quarterfinals, where a Tide win would likely guarantee a 4-seed.