What Happened to Alabama Crimson Tide Men's Basketball?
Under head coach Nate Oats, Alabama Basketball has transformed into a national contender, securing multiple SEC regular season and tournament titles, and making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four appearance in 2024 and an Elite Eight in 2025. As of March 2026, the team is competing in the NCAA Tournament, navigating a season marked by strong offensive play and recent challenges, including a key player's legal issues.
Quick Answer
Alabama Basketball, led by head coach Nate Oats, has experienced significant success in recent years, including SEC regular season and tournament championships in 2021 and 2023, a historic Final Four appearance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and an Elite Eight run in 2025. For the 2025-26 season, the Crimson Tide entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, winning their first-round game against Hofstra on March 20, 2026, but faced challenges with a key player's arrest just before the tournament. They were scheduled to play Texas Tech in the second round on March 22, 2026.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
Nate Oats Hired as Head Coach
Nate Oats, previously the coach for the Buffalo Bulls, was named Alabama's new head coach, bringing a reputation for leading teams to NCAA Tournament appearances.
First Contract Extension for Nate Oats
Head coach Nate Oats agreed to a contract extension through March 14, 2027, following a successful period including an SEC regular-season title.
SEC Regular Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Alabama won its first SEC regular-season title since 2002 and its first SEC tournament title since 1991, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the Sweet Sixteen.
Second Contract Extension for Nate Oats
Amidst the program's best regular season in decades, Nate Oats agreed to a new six-year, $30 million contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
SEC Regular Season & Tournament Champions, No. 1 Overall Seed
The Crimson Tide achieved their best-ever season to that point, earning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they reached the Sweet Sixteen.
Third Contract Extension for Nate Oats
Nate Oats signed another contract extension, extending his tenure with the Crimson Tide through March 14, 2030, reflecting continued success and commitment.
Historic NCAA Final Four Appearance
Alabama made a historic run to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in program history, ultimately losing to eventual national champion UConn.
NCAA Elite Eight Appearance
The Crimson Tide continued their strong NCAA Tournament performance, reaching the Elite Eight as a No. 2 seed before falling to Duke.
2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule Announced
Alabama finalized its challenging 2025-26 non-conference schedule, featuring matchups against several 2025 NCAA Tournament teams like Purdue, Gonzaga, Illinois, and St. John's.
SEC Tournament Quarterfinal Loss
As the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, Alabama suffered an upset loss to Ole Miss in the quarterfinals.
Selected as No. 4 Seed in 2026 NCAA Tournament
Alabama was announced as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, marking Nate Oats' sixth consecutive appearance.
Aden Holloway Arrested
Junior guard Aden Holloway, a key offensive player, was arrested on two felony drug charges and removed from the team, creating a significant challenge for Alabama's NCAA Tournament run.
NCAA Tournament First Round Win vs. Hofstra
Alabama, a No. 4 seed, defeated 13-seed Hofstra 90-70 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, with Labaron Philon Jr. leading the team with 29 points.
NCAA Tournament Second Round vs. Texas Tech
Alabama was scheduled to play 5-seed Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Florida, with the winner advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The University of Alabama men's basketball program has seen a significant resurgence under head coach Nate Oats, who was hired on March 27, 2019. Oats quickly instilled an up-tempo, high-scoring offensive system that has propelled the Crimson Tide to national prominence. His initial contract was extended in February 2021, and again in February 2023, and most recently in March 2024, securing his leadership through March 2030.
Oats' tenure began with a 16-15 record in his first season (2019-20), but his second season (2020-21) marked a turning point. Alabama claimed its first SEC regular-season title since 2002 and its first SEC tournament title since 1991, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the Sweet Sixteen to UCLA (Source: Wikipedia, 2021). The 2022-23 season saw further success, with the Crimson Tide winning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships again, securing the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, though their run ended in the Sweet Sixteen with an upset loss to San Diego State (Source: Wikipedia, 2023).
The program reached new heights in the 2023-24 season, making a historic run to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, ultimately losing to the eventual national champions, UConn. They finished that season with a 25-12 record. This was followed by another strong performance in the 2024-25 season, where Alabama reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed, finishing with a 28-9 record before being defeated by Duke.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, Alabama was ranked No. 15 in the preseason AP Top 25, boasting what Coach Oats described as his "best shooting team." The team finished the regular season with a 23-8 record and a 13-5 SEC record, clinching the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament. However, they suffered an upset loss to Ole Miss in the quarterfinals. Alabama earned a No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
A significant development just before the 2026 NCAA Tournament was the arrest of junior guard Aden Holloway on two felony drug charges on March 17, 2026. Holloway, a key player and the team's second-leading scorer, was removed from campus and away from the team pending an investigation, raising concerns about the team's performance in March Madness. Despite this setback, Alabama opened its 2026 NCAA Tournament campaign with a 90-70 victory over 13-seed Hofstra on March 20, 2026, with Labaron Philon Jr. leading the scoring. The Crimson Tide was then scheduled to face 5-seed Texas Tech in the second round on March 22, 2026.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Alabama Crimson Tide Men's Basketball made different choices?