Alabama Basketball Adds Colorado State to Growing Non-Conference Schedule
One day after its announcement of a two-year series with Gonzaga, this year's in Seattle, and next season's in Birmingham, Alabama basketball reportedly scheduled Colorado State as an added non-conference opponent to the 2021-22 schedule.
According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, although the date of the game is TBA, the location is Birmingham, essentially being an added home game for the Crimson Tide.
After a 20-8 (14-4) season in which Colorado State earned a berth to the National Invitational Tournament, Borzello ranks the Rams inside his way-too-early Top 25 for this season.
Alabama, on the other hand, continues to show its embrace of a tough non-conference schedule after having already scheduled Gonzaga and others, like the Baylor draw in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
In addition to playing Colorado State, Alabama hosts the defending national champion Baylor Bears, Houston and Memphis.
With the aforementioned trip to Seattle to play Gonzaga finalized, third-year head coach Nate Oats and Alabama are also set to participate in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida, featuring Drake, Iona, Kansas, Miami, and North Texas.
Three of the four teams from the 2020-21 NCAA Final Four will compete against Alabama on the hardwood beginning in November, further enforcing Oats' vision of the Crimson Tide being a national name in basketball.
Alabama, as of April 5, was ranked No. 8 in Borzello's preseason rankings, but due to the exits of guards Josh Primo and Jaden Shackelford, the Crimson Tide could be ranked lower when the season begins in early November.
