Alabama basketball suffered a heartbreaking loss to Tennessee on Saturday on a buzzer beating three-pointer by Jahmai Mashack. The Crimson Tide blew a nine-point second half lead and a four-point lead with just over 30 seconds to play to find themselves on the losing end of a game in Knoxville they probably should have won.
It was always going to be an uphill battle beat the Vols on the road. Alabama played well enough to get the win, but poor execution at the end of each half doomed the Crimson Tide at Thompson-Boiling Arena.
The loss ended the Crimson Tide's chances of earning a share of the SEC regular season crown, however unlikely. Alabama would have needed to win out along with a loss for Auburn against either Kentucky or Texas A&M to line up a potential win-and-share game for the Crimson Tide on the Plains on Saturday afternoon.
Alabama's loss clinched the outright title for Auburn. But what did it do to their standing as a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament? ESPN's Joe Lunardi and CBS' Jerry Palm both updated their Bracketology on Sunday.
Alabama now a projected 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament
According to both Joe Lunardi and Jerry Palm, the Crimson Tide is a projected 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament following the loss to Tennessee.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 2, 2025
Lunardi has Alabama as the No. 5 overall seed a 2-seed in the Midwest Region. A potential Sweet 16 matchup with Michigan and an Elite 8 matchup with Houston could await them.
Palm also has the Tide as a 2-seed, but in the East Region instead. A potential Sweet 16 matchup with Purdue and an Elite 8 matchup with Duke would stand in front of the Crimson Tide and a second straight trip to the Final Four.
Alabama can still work themselves back to the 1-line over these next two games. No other team in the country finishes the regular season against two Top 5 opponents. Alabama will host Florida on Wednesday before going to Auburn on Saturday. If Alabama can win both of those - however unlikely - then it would be hard to keep them from being a 1-seed.