Alabama Basketball Receives 4-Seed in NCAA Tournament
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Crimson Tide is going dancing again.
Alabama basketball received a 4-seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, as announced on the March Madness Selection Show. The Crimson Tide will compete in the West Region of the bracket.
In its first round matchup, Alabama will take on 13-seed Charleston. If it wins, it will take on the winner of 5-seed Saint Mary's and 12-seed Grand Canyon in the Round of 32. The Crimson Tide's first weekend games will take place at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena/Delta Center in Spokane, Washington.
"We're excited to be in the tournament," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said Sunday. "Not everybody gets to do this. You look at the quality of teams that were left out of the tournament. There's a lot of good players not playing anymore. There's a lot of good teams not playing. Regardless of where we get sent, we're excited to go there."
Alabama's first round game will take place on Friday, while its potential second round game will be on Sunday.
Charleston is riding a 12-game winning streak into the tournament, capped by the CAA conference tournament championship game win. Oats didn't yet know much about the Cougars, but planned to immediately begin working on scouting Charleston after he left the press conference.
"Coach [Pat] Kelsey is one of the better up and coming young head coaches," Oats said. "They play a pretty modern style of basketball, pretty similar to us to be honest with you. Their offense is top 60 in the country, their pace of play is top 50, their 3-point rate is top 20. They're playing fast, spreading it out and taking a lot of 3s."
It marks the fourth straight season that Alabama has made the NCAA Tournament, its longest streak since making five consecutive tournaments from 2002-06. The Crimson Tide has made every NCAA Tournament that's taken place under head coach Nate Oats, after the 2020 tournament in Oats' first season was canceled due to COVID-19.
The 4-seed received by Alabama is tied for its fifth-highest seeding in program history. The Crimson Tide has only been a 4-seed or better seven total times in program history, three of which came under Oats (2021, 2023, 2024).
During Oats' tenure, Alabama has made the Sweet 16 twice (2021, 2023) and lost in the Round of 64 once (2022).
Alabama finished the season with a 21-11 record, including a 13-5 mark in SEC play. The Crimson Tide has been on a slide at the end of the season, however, having lost four of its last six games including the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament.
"It's the first game of a new season," Oats said. "And who comes ready to play for 40 minutes in that first game?"
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