Alabama Basketball Not Satisfied with Final Four Appearance Alone

The Crimson Tide players and coaches aren't just happy to be here, they want to win it, too.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Alabama basketball's locker room after the Elite Eight was elated. Yells, smiles, and celebrations filled the room as the Crimson Tide had just secured its first trip to the Final Four in school history.

But over in the corner sat Nick Pringle, hard hat on his head, and West Region trophy cradled in his arms. As he fielded questions from reporters, he repeated one phrase throughout his answers: "job's not finished."

"Let's not discount the fact we've made a Final Four," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said on Friday. "That's a big deal. But we're still playing for a championship. We've got two games left to win the biggest one of all. That's where our mindset's at right now."

But that's a hard transition to make. Throughout the tournament, most every team has the goal of making it to the Final Four. It's one of the most celebrated accomplishments in the entire sport of college basketball, behind only winning the national championship.

Banners are hung for the Final Four. Confetti gets dropped from the ceiling. Trophies are handed out. It feels almost like a championship in and of itself. Even Oats, after Alabama beat North Carolina in the Sweet 16, was captured on video saying "we've got one more to go," meaning, one more win until the Final Four.

“It’s definitely difficult," freshman Jarin Stevenson said. "Getting to the Final Four is a huge accomplishment for this program. We just got to take it one game at a time, and focus on this next game. We can’t relax. Just because we made it this far doesn’t mean we can stop now.”

The players, however, have credited both Oats and the entire coaching staff's ability to turn the page and get the team ready to face No. 1 overall seed UConn in the national semifinal on Saturday night.

“Coach Oats has done a really good job preparing us for that," freshman Sam Walters said. "There’s a lot of media attention on this, a lot of crazy stuff going on. He told us our job isn’t done. He’s kept us focused, making sure we’re all watching film, really just trying to get our mind right for playing this game."

In the locker room before Alabama's final practice before the Final Four on Friday afternoon, Pringle discussed the mentality he's tried to instill in the team as one of the emotional leaders.

“You just build that mentality on never being satisfied where you’re at," Pringle said. "I’ve been in a spot where I’ve came short, or haven’t finished a job, so the job’s not finished, man. We can enjoy our time, enjoy our success in the moment, but there’s always more to have."

"I don’t want us to get comfortable at all. We’re not done, man, there’s so much more we can get."

As Oats gets his team prepared to play the biggest game in the history of Alabama basketball, he's been able to keep his eyes on the magnitude of what's in front of them rather than what they've already done.

"Here is a chance to win the biggest championship out of all of them," Oats said. "While I don't want to take anything away from making a Final Four, 'cause it's special, something that's never been done in school history, but there's still two games to be played. The biggest championship of all is still sitting in front of us. We need to get locked in and play it."