Where Does Bama Fit in to the NCAA Tourney?
Ranked 16th by both the AP and the coaches, the 2023-24 Alabama basketball team looks to be on firm ground regarding recent March Madness predictions and NCAA Tournament projections.
A tough non-conference slate, even though it resulted in four losses, has the attention of the projectors.
Heading into tough rematches with Auburn and LSU this week, the Crimson Tide of Nate Oats looks to be on track for a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament next month. There is a LOT of season left, but with SEC play half over, Alabama sits in first place for the SEC and in line for a high seed in March Madness.
A season ago, the Crimson Tide earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. That's not going to happen this year due to the above-mentioned losses to the likes of Clemson, Purdue, Arizona and Creighton.
For those reasons, Alabama isn’t on a path to landing as high in March Madness as the Tide did last season, but if it keeps winning games, the Crimson Tide should end up with a solid national seed on Selection Sunday.
Heading into Wednesday's rematch with Auburn on the road, here are the latest NCAA Tournament predictions for Alabama and Oats:
ESPN: 3 seed (Memphis)
Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology projections show Crimson Tide in Memphis as a No. 3 seed to face No. 14 seed Morehead State. The winner would then play the winner of the game between No. 6 seed Utah State and No. 11 seed Washington State or Seton Hall. Alabama lands in the East region in these projections.
CBS Sports: 3 seed (Charlotte)
In Jerry Palm’s projection Monday, he also has Alabama as a No. 3 seed. The differences are that he projected the Crimson Tide to be in the Midwest region, facing No. 14 seed Louisiana Tech in the first round before a matchup with No. 6 seed Florida Atlantic or No. 11 seed Northwestern in the second round.
FOX Sports: 4 seed (Midwest)
Sounds a bit more harsh, but the Tide would take it. FOX Sports’ Mike DeCourcy has Alabama as a No. 4 seed, unlike Lunardi and Palm. He projects the Crimson Tide to face No. 13 seed Samford [led by former Mountain Brook coach Bucky McMillan] in the first round.
Bottom line: Barring a collapse, Bama will be just fine on Selection Sunday.
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Gallery Credit: Jacob Harrison