Alabama Basketball Players Recount Favorite NCAA Tournament Memories

TAMPA, Fla. -- Alabama basketball kicks off its sixth straight NCAA Tournament on Friday with a matchup against the Hofstra Pride. The Crimson Tide is fresh off a Final Four and Elite 8 run in the last two seasons and hopeful to make more memories in the 2026 edition of the event.

Before embarking on this year's tournament the Alabama players were asked what makes March Madness special and their favorite memories of the event growing up.

"I love March. I actually sang the theme song for a talent show when I was super little," Houston Mallette said. "My favorite in recent memory, I had committed to the University of Alabama on Selection Sunday when they went to the Final Four. That was probably at my core the happiest, because I'm rooting for them, pulling for them every game. I would say that, and then I'll always remember Villanova. [Ryan] Arcidiacono to Kris Jenkins, knocked that down. That was crazy. Christian Laettner, who can forget about him? Cardiac Kemba [Walker]. There's so many great names. Jack Gohlke hit 10 threes against Kentucky. March is special."

Mallette's sentiment was echoed by his teammates as Taylor Bol Bowen and Labaron Philon each highlighted the Jenkins buzzer-beater to win the 2016 NCAA Tournament for Villanova, but that wasn't the only moment to stand the test of time.

Freshman London Jemison picked Jordan Poole's game-winning 3-point shot for Michigan against Houston in the second round of the 2018 tournament, while Miami transfer Jalil Bethea selected Jimmer Fredette's 37-point performance in double-overtime to beat Florida in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Guard Preston Murphy Jr. was particularly fond of Tyus Jones' 23-point performance for Duke in the 2015 National Title game, and despite not growing up in America, forward Noah Williamson pointed out the Kansas Jayhawk victory over North Carolina in the 2022 National Championship game as what made him fall in love with college basketball.

The Alabama basketball players selected NCAA Tournament memories from the last 15 years, showcasing the player's age ranges, but off camera, while Philon was considering his answer, Crimson Tide assistant Brian Adams shouted out his own.

Adams highlighted the 1991 Richmond Spiders who earned a 15-seed after winning the Colonial Athletic Association's conference tournament and went on to defeat 2-seed Syracuse 73-69. The Spiders pulled off the upset thanks to help from Alabama assistant coach Chris Flemming who chipped in eight points in 13 minutes of action off the bench.

Alabama Basketball in the NCAA Tournament:

(Season, Seed, Final Result)

1974-75: Lost in Round of 64 (NCAA Tournament seeding introduced in 1979)
1975-76: Lost in Sweet 16
1981-82: 4-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1982-83: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 64
1983-84: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 64
1984-85: 7-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1985-86: 5-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1986-87 (vacated): 2-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1988-89: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 64
1989-90: 7-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1990-91: 4-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
1991-92: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 32
1993-94: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 32
1994-95: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 32
2001-02: 2-seed, Lost in Round of 32
2002-03: 10-seed, Lost in Round of 64
2003-04: 8-seed, Lost in Elite Eight
2004-05: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 64
2005-06: 10-seed, Lost in Round of 32
2011-12: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 32
2017-18: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 32
2020-21: 2-seed, Lost in Sweet 16
2021-22: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 64
2022-23: No. 1 overall seed, Lost in Sweet 16
2023-24: 4-seed, Lost in Final Four
2024-25: 2-seed, Lost in Elite Eight
2025-26: 4-seed, Result TBD

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