Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum on Wednesday night, hosting Clemson at 6:15 p.m. CT in a marquee matchup of the ACC/SEC Men’s Basketball Challenge. For a Crimson Tide team that’s been battle-tested early, this one offers another chance to sharpen their resume-and maybe settle an old score.
After a rollercoaster week in Las Vegas, Alabama dropped to No. 12 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. The Tide went 2-1 at the Players Era Festival, falling to Gonzaga before bouncing back with wins over UNLV and Maryland. The loss to Gonzaga stung, but it’s the kind of early-season test that can pay off come March.
Clemson, meanwhile, comes in at 7-1 and quietly building momentum. The Tigers didn’t crack the top 25, but they’re knocking on the door after quality wins over Georgia and West Virginia.
Their only blemish? A road loss at Georgetown.
Still, this is a Clemson squad that’s shown it can travel and compete.
The NCAA’s initial NET rankings dropped Monday, giving us a clearer picture of how these teams stack up in the eyes of the selection committee. Alabama sits at No. 14 in NET, with the fourth-toughest strength of schedule in the country and a 2-2 mark in Quadrant 1 games.
That’s a resume that’s already gaining traction-and it’s only December. Wednesday’s game shapes up as a Quadrant 2 opportunity, with Clemson checking in at No. 34 in the NET.
Among SEC teams, Alabama ranks third in the NET behind Vanderbilt (No. 4) and Tennessee (No. 12).
Over in the ACC, Clemson is fifth, trailing blue bloods like Duke (No. 2), Louisville (No.
9), North Carolina (No. 26), and Virginia (No. 31).
So while this might not be a top-25 showdown on paper, it’s a matchup between two programs that are very much in the NCAA Tournament conversation.
There’s also some history here. Under head coach Nate Oats, Alabama is 1-2 against Clemson.
The Tigers got the better of the Tide in Atlanta back in December 2020, and again in Tuscaloosa last season. But Alabama got the last laugh in March, eliminating Clemson in the Elite Eight.
That win helped propel the Tide to their deepest postseason run under Oats-and you better believe Clemson remembers it.
For Alabama, this will be the first home game since November 13, when they fell to Purdue in a high-profile non-conference clash. After a long stretch on the road, the Tide will welcome the chance to play in front of their home crowd again.
They’ll stay in Tuscaloosa through the weekend, hosting UTSA on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
As for the national picture, Purdue continues to lead the way in both the Coaches and AP polls, with Arizona, Michigan, and Duke rounding out the top four in each. Alabama’s still firmly in the mix at No. 12, and with this week’s return to Coleman Coliseum, they’ve got a prime opportunity to remind everyone why they belong in the national conversation.
Wednesday night’s showdown isn’t just another early-season game. It’s a measuring stick. It’s a chance for Alabama to protect home court, build on a tough non-conference schedule, and keep climbing the ladder-one Quadrant win at a time.