Alabama men's basketball was navigating some choppy waters just a couple of months ago. With a 4-4 record in SEC play and a tough 100-77 loss to Florida, things were looking bleak for the Crimson Tide. Even with Charles Bediako on the court during a five-game stretch thanks to a temporary restraining order, Alabama struggled to find its footing.
Coach Nate Oats was candid before facing Texas A&M, acknowledging the critical juncture: “We’re either going to start playing better and go on a run here, or we’re going to continue to play .500 basketball. That’s not what anybody came here to do.”
And then, something clicked. Alabama went on a tear, winning nine of their last ten SEC regular-season games. This impressive run secured them a second-place finish in the conference and a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.
While Alabama didn’t clinch the SEC title or snag the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, and they fell short of the Final Four, a 25-10 season record speaks volumes about Oats’ coaching prowess. Was this his best season yet?
Oats humbly left that for others to decide, stating, “I enjoyed the group. I’m trying to squeeze every last little bit I can out of every group I coach.”
The season could have derailed back in February. Bediako was ruled ineligible again, depleting Alabama’s frontcourt depth. Injuries and absences plagued the team, culminating in Aden Holloway, their No. 2 scorer, missing the NCAA tournament due to suspension.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. reflected on the team’s resilience: “We went through a lot of adversity, but I think the adversity was triumphed by just our faith in everything we did with how we connected with each other.”
Alabama had to get creative with lineups, using about a dozen different starting fives throughout the season. They faced challenges with roster depth, as Keitenn Bristow, Davion Hannah, and Collins Onyejiaka were largely unavailable. Bristow opted out after an early injury, Onyejiaka dealt with a heart condition, and Hannah redshirted, leaving Alabama with only 10 scholarship players.
The transfer portal didn’t offer much relief either. While Taylor Bol Bowen, Jalil Bethea, and Noah Williamson participated in most games, none emerged as game-changers. Bol Bowen was the standout among them, averaging 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and a block per game.
This stands in contrast to Oats’ squad two years ago, which featured impactful transfers like Aaron Estrada, Grant Nelson, and Wrightsell Jr., each contributing significantly to a memorable Final Four run. Nelson’s standout performance in the Sweet 16 against No. 1 seed UNC remains unforgettable.
Comparing seasons, the 2023-24 team’s unexpected deep tournament run might rival this year’s achievements. But considering the early February struggles, reaching the Sweet 16 this season seemed like a long shot. Yet, here they are, proving once again that resilience and teamwork can defy the odds.