Tournament Tuesday: A look at Alabama basketball's resume (March 12)

Welcome to Tournament Tuesday, a weekly look at where Alabama basketball stands in the NCAA tournament picture. Each week, Tide Illustrated will be breaking down the Crimson Tide’s resume while looking at where it is projected in this year’s 68-team bracket.

Nate Oats doesn’t lose in Nashville. Since taking over Alabama basketball in 2019, the head coach sports a 10-0 record in the Music City. Six of those wins occurred during SEC Tournament title runs in 2021 and 2023, while the remaining four came in road games against Vanderbilt.

Oats and No. 19 Alabama will hope that trend continues this week as the Crimson Tide heads to Bridgestone Arena as the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament.

Alabama stumbled through the end of its regular-season schedule but enters tournament play coming off a 92-88 overtime victory against Arkansas. That win saw the Tide overcome a 15-point deficit while snapping a two-game losing streak.

More important than the recent momentum, the win over Arkansas allowed Alabama to clinch a top-four seed, giving the Tide a double-bye and some much-needed rest heading into the tournament. Alabama won’t play until the quarterfinal round on Friday, which could give starting guard Rylan Griffen time to return from a calf injury that kept him out over the weekend.

Alabama is currently projected as a No. 4 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament. While a win in Nashville, should be good enough to secure that place, the Tide will be looking to improve its position by claiming its third conference title in four years.

With that said, here’s where Alabama currently sits in the NCAA Tournament picture.

Record: 21-10, 13-5 in the SEC

Associated press rank: 19

NET rank: 8

RPI: 11

SOS: 1

Quadrant wins

Quad 1: 3-9

Quad 2: 8-1

Quad 3: 7-0

Quad 4: 3-0

ESPN: Joe Lunardi has Alabama as a No. 4 seed facing No. 13 seed U.C. Irvine in the Spokane Region. The winner of that game would go on to play the winner of No. 5 seed San Diego State and No. 12 seed Princeton.

CBS: Jerry Palm has Alabama as a No. 4 seed facing No. 13 seed McNeese State in the Pittsburgh Regional. The winner of that game would go on to play the winner of No. 5 seed Texas Tech against No. 12 seed James Madison

The Athletic: The Athletic’s Brian Bennett has Alabama as a No. 4 seed against No. 13 seed Princeton in the Spokane Regional. The winner of that game would go on to play the winner of No. 5 seed Utah State and No. 12 seed South Florida.

SEC Tournament quarterfinal vs. TBD (Friday)

Tipoff is scheduled for 25 minutes following the conclusion of the 6:30 p.m. CT game

Possible opponents: No. 6 seed Florida (21-7, 11-7), No. 11 seed Georgia (16-15, 6-12), No. 12 seed Missouri (8-23, 0-18).

NET: Florida (No. 35, Quad 1 game), Georgia (No. 101, Quad 3 game), Missouri (No. 155, Quad 3 game)

What to know: Alabama earned a top-four seed in the SEC Tournament, securing itself a double-bye. The Crimson Tide can now rest until the quarterfinals where it will face the winner of No. 6 seed Florida against either No. 11 seed Georgia and No. 14 seed Missouri.

Alabama split its two games with Florida. The Crimson Tide beat the Gators, 98-93, in overtime during their first meeting in Tuscaloosa last month. Florida then blew out Alabama, 105-87, in Gainesville earlier this month.

Alabama rallied back from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Georgia 85-76 in Athens on Jan. 31. The Crimson Tide blew out Missouri, 93-75 inside Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 16.

While Georgia and Missouri would provide Alabama with easier matchups, a game against Florida would give the Crimson Tide a chance to net another Quad 1 win while avenging its recent blowout loss to the Gators.

Nate Oats and his side won’t be picky when it comes to wins this week, but a resume-boosting victory would go a long way toward securing a favorable draw in the NCAA Tournament.

If Alabama wins Friday night, it will play either No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 seed Texas A&M or No. 10 seed Ole Miss. Neutral site games against Kentucky (No. 19 NET) and Texas A&M (No. 46 NET) would serve as Quad 1 opportunities, while a matchup against Ole Miss (No. 90) would fall in the Quad 2 category.

1. Tennessee, 24-7, 14-4 SEC

2. Kentucky, 23-8, 13-5 SEC

3. Alabama, 21-10, 13-5 SEC

4. Auburn, 24-7, 13-5 SEC

5. South Carolina, 25-6, 13-5 SEC

6. Florida, 21-10, 11-7 SEC

7. Texas A&M, 18-13, 9-9 SEC

8. LSU, 17-14, 9-9 SEC

9. Mississippi State, 19-12, 8-10 SEC

10. Ole Miss, 20-11, 7-11 SEC

11. Georgia, 16-15, 6-12 SEC

12. Arkansas, 15-16, 6-12 SEC

13. Vanderbilt, 9-22, 4-14 SEC

14. Missouri, 8-23, 0-18 SEC