Alabama Continues NCAA Prep: Basketball Practice Video at Hinkel Fieldhouse

Second-seeded Alabama getting set to face the No. 15 seed Iona Gaels, coached Rick Pitino, in the East Regional

The University of Alabama men's basketball team continued to prepare for the 2021 NCAA Tournament with a practice at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Thursday. 

As the No. 5 overall seed the Crimson Tide was placed in the East Region as the No. 2 seed and will face the No. 15 seed Iona Gaels, coached Rick Pitino.

The game will be played Saturday at 3 p.m. CT (TBS).

The Crimson Tide had a full practice that lasted approximately 90 minutes on the game floor. 

Alabama cleared its 24-hour quarantine Monday night and was able to get the team’s first full workout in Indianapolis on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide worked in the weight room for an hour followed by a full practice, both of which took place in the Indianapolis Convention Center. It held another practice Wednesday.

The 566,000-square foot space is home to 12 practice courts and a number of weight rooms. It is the central hub of this year’s event.

Meanwhile, Pat Forde had Alabama fourth on his list of The 10 Teams Most Likely to Win the 2021 Men's National Title. Here's his preview capsule on the Crimson Tide.

4. Alabama

Seeding: No. 2 in the East Region
Record: 24–6
Pomeroy Rating: No. 8
Best tournament finish: regional runner-up in 2004

Nate Oats’s up-tempo, threes-and-layups attack has taken the Southeastern Conference by storm, and could carry over a long way in this tournament. Especially when combined with a defense that is second-best in the nation, limiting opponents at the three-point line and turning them over. Combine that with the fact that the top seed in the East, Michigan, likely is missing one of its key players for at least the first two rounds and perhaps the entire tournament. The opportunity is there for the Crimson Tide, which weathered a couple of serious battles in the SEC tourney.
Unfortunately, Bama is likely without energetic 6’ 6” wing Joshua Primo for at least one round and likely longer after he sprained an MCL in the quarterfinals in Nashville. That takes away one three-point threat and some length on the defensive end. Alabama will also need to keep guard Jahvon Quinerly playing the way he did in the SEC tourney, where he took good shots and took care of the ball. He’s had some games where decision making is an issue.

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