Nate Oats

Arizona took over the top spot in the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll, a reward for a perfect start to the season that includes a quartet of wins against ranked foes, including a lopsided victory over Auburn last weekend. Alabama remained at No. 12.

The Crimson Tide Men's Basketball team may have more than turkey to feast on during Thanksgiving Day. Labaron Philon scored 20 points, Aden Holloway added 17 points and a career-high 10 assists, and No. 8 Alabama beat Maryland 105-72 on Wednesday night in a consolation game of the Players Era Championship Tournament.

Alabama football is grabbing a lot of headlines right now. But, Crimson Tide men’s basketball will face a crucial test in Tuscaloosa tonight. That’s when Alabama plays Purdue. The Boilermakers made the Final Four last year. That’s when the Tide got in for the first time. More recently, Alabama lost to Purdue a year ago.

Crimson Tide forward Mouhamed Dioubate helped Alabama make it to the Elite Eight during March Madness this year. He won’t be there to see the team try again next season. Dioubate is heading to Kentucky by way of the transfer portal.

Florida came back to beat Texas Tech eighty four to seventy nine after trailing the Red Raiders in the final six minutes of their western regional game. This will be the first Final Four appearance for the Gators since 2014. Number one Duke beat number two seed Alabama eighty five to sixty five

There was no such thing as a bad shot for Alabama in the Sweet 16. Certainly not from beyond the arc, where the Crimson Tide set March Madness records by making 25 3-pointers, attempting 51 and knocking one of college basketball's most memorable teams, Loyola Marymount, out of a perch it had held for 35 years.

As the NCAA Tournament heats up, the styles of Notre Dame's Niele Ivey, LSU’s Kim Mulkey, Alabama’s Nate Oaks, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and a handful of other coaches stand out in a sea of coaches in team polo shirts and quarter-zip pullovers. Most coaches moved to casual sideline attire during the COVID-19 pandemic and many simply never went back to dressing up for games.

Mark Sears hit a game-winning floater as time expired, and No. 7 Alabama spoiled the home finale of rival and No. 1 Auburn with a 93-91 overtime road win Saturday. The off-balance buzzer-beater from the free-throw line was only the third made basket of the game for Sears, who finished with nine points.

Alabama is back in the win column after defeating Kentucky at home ninety six to eighty three. Star guard Mark Sears scored thirty as the number four ranked Crimson Tide bounced back from losses to Auburn and Missouri. Chris Youngblood added fourteen points in the win of the number seventeen ranked Wildcats.

Alabama hosts Kentucky tomorrow in Tuscaloosa after back to back losses to Auburn and Missouri. The Crimson Tide is playing it’s final regular season games before the start of March Madness. Mizzou coach Dennis Gates headed off students who might have charged onto the court in celebration after the Tigers upset Alabama on Wednesday.