Did Alabama Basketball Return to Polls After Beating Ole Miss, South Carolina?

The Crimson Tide is on a four-game winning streak, but is it enough to reappear in the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll?

The Alabama Basketball Team in action against South Carolina at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Feb 14, 2026. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

After 14 weeks into the regular season, Alabama men's basketball entered its matchups against Ole Miss and South Carolina outside of the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll for the second straight week.

The Crimson Tide came into this past week winning its previous two contests, and Alabama continued the streak with a 93-74 road win over the Rebels on Feb. 11 and an 89-73 home victory over the Gamecocks on Feb. 14.

These wins helped Alabama return to the AP Top 25 at the No. 25 spot on Monday. That said, the Crimson Tide did not appear in the Coaches Poll, as UA received the most votes (32) outside of it.

AP Top 25

(Ranking, Team, First-Place Votes, Record, Points)

1. Michigan (60), 24-1, 1524
2. Houston (1), 23-2, 1402
3. Duke, 23-2, 1397
4. Arizona, 23-2, 1318
5. UConn, 24-2, 1358
6. Iowa State, 22-3, 1212
7. Purdue, 21-4, 1042
8. Kansas, 19-6, 1011
9. Nebraska, 22-3, 982
10. Illinois, 21-5, 938
11. Gonzaga, 25-2, 903
12. Florida, 19-6, 895
13. Texas Tech, 19-6, 822
14. Virginia, 22-3, 730
15. Michigan State, 20-5, 681
16. North Carolina, 20-5, 594
17. St. John's, 20-5, 590
18. Saint Louis, 24-1, 468
19. Vanderbilt, 21-4, 449
20. Arkansas, 19-6, 387
21. Louisville, 19-6, 263
22. Miami-Ohio, 25-0, 238
23. BYU, 19-6, 214
24. Wisconsin, 18-7, 109
25. Alabama, 18-7, 104

Others Receiving Votes: Clemson 55, Utah St. 45, Tennessee 36, Villanova 29, Kentucky 15, Miami 10, Saint Mary's 3, VCU 1.

Coaches Poll

(Ranking, Team, First-Place Votes, Record, Points)

1. Michigan (31), 24-1, 775
2. Houston, 23-2, 719
3. Duke, 23-2, 695
4. Arizona, 23-2, 670
5. UConn, 24-2, 663
6. Iowa State, 22-3, 624
7. Purdue, 21-4, 542
8. Gonzaga, 25-2, 500
9. Nebraska, 22-3, 497
10. Illinois, 21-5, 491
11. Florida, 19-6, 471
12. Kansas, 19-6, 445
13. Texas Tech, 19-6, 423
14. Virginia, 22-3, 388
15. Michigan State, 20-5, 349
16. St. John's, 20-5, 315
17. Arkansas, 19-6, 247
18. Vanderbilt, 21-4, 244
19. Saint Louis, 24-1, 233
20. North Carollina, 20-5, 200
21. Louisville, 19-6, 159
22. BYU, 19-6, 114
23. Miami-Ohio, 25-0, 90
24. Clemson, 20-6, 68
25. Wisconsin, 18-7, 36

Schools Dropped Out: No. 25 Iowa.

Others Receiving Votes: Alabama 32; Villanova 30; Utah State 20; Tennessee 19; Iowa 7; Kentucky 6; Saint Mary's 2; Miami (FL) 1.

Against Ole Miss, Alabama scored a season-low 32 points in the first half, but a switch flipped in the halftime locker room. Guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. scored 18 points in the second period and finished the game shooting 7 of 13 from deep. Forward Aiden Sherrell sparked the second-half run, scoring the first seven points by himself before finishing the game with 15.

Against South Carolina, four of the Crimson Tide's five returners from last season's team led in the scoring column. Guard Aden Holloway tallied 20 points, Wrightsell and fellow guard Labaron Philon Jr. had 19 apiece and Sherrell put up 11. Freshman Amari Allen was next with eight points, and he also recorded 10 rebounds.

Alabama aims to further the winning streak and at home against now-No. 20 Arkansas on Feb. 18 and on the road against LSU on Feb. 21.

Alabama Basketball's 2025-26 Season in the Polls

• Preseason: No. 15 in AP Poll, No. 16 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 1 (North Dakota win, St. John's win): No. 8 in AP Poll, No. 9 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 2 (Purdue loss): No. 11 in AP Poll, No. 11 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 3 (Illinois win): No. 8 in AP Poll, No. 9 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 4 (Gonzaga loss, UNLV win, Maryland win): No. 12 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 5 (Clemson win, UTSA win): No. 12 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 6 (Arizona loss): No. 16 in AP Poll, No. 16 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 7 (USF win, Kennesaw State win): No. 14 in AP Poll, No. 15 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 8 (Holiday break): No. 15 in Coaches Poll (AP Top 25 not released during break)
• After Week 9 (Yale win, Kentucky win): No. 13 in AP Poll, No. 12 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 10 (Vanderbilt loss, Texas loss): No. 18 in AP Poll, No. 18 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 11 (Mississippi State win, Oklahoma win): No. 17 in AP Poll, No. 17 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 12 (Tennessee loss): No. 23 in AP Poll, No. 23 in Coaches Poll
• After Week 13 (Missouri win, Florida loss): Not ranked in AP Poll, Not ranked in Coaches Poll
• After Week 14 (Texas A&M win, Auburn win): Not ranked in AP Poll, Not ranked in Coaches Poll
• After Week 15 (Ole Miss win, South Carolina win): No. 25 in AP Poll, Not ranked in Coaches Poll

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