It’s Selection Sunday, and while the Alabama Crimson Tide had a much shorter than anticipated stint in Nashville this week, Tide fans can – once again – rest easy knowing that Nate Oats’ squad will have its name called later today during the NCAA Tournament selection show. Not every school in the state can say that. This will be Alabama’s sixth straight appearance in the Big Dance, tying the school record for most consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament (1982-1987).
As we all know by now, the range of possible outcomes in the tournament is so heavily influenced by the draw that your team receives. Take the Tide for example – Alabama’s worst team from 2023-2025 is the only one that won its region and advanced to the Final Four. That was in large part due to the 2024 team getting a trio of mid-major schools in their opening weekend quadrant, followed by one of the worst one-seeds of the 2020s (2024 North Carolina), and then a six-seed in the Elite Eight. The 2023 team – still the best in school history, for my money – caught a horrible match-up in the Sweet Sixteen against a hardened San Diego State team that ended up playing for a natty. The 2025 squad ran into an absolute wagon in Duke last year in the Elite Eight.
And there are a lot of comparisons between this year’s team and the 2024 group. A likely four-seed who went 13-5 in SEC play and then crapped out in its first game in the SEC Tournament, plagued by rebounding issues and defensive concerns mostly due to a lack of an interior presence. But also lethal on offense with a group of guards who can get red-hot and run just about anybody off of the floor when they are on. It’s honestly uncanny.
Unfortunately for the 2026 team, there is no 2024 North Carolina on the one-line this year. The top four teams (Duke, Michigan, Arizona, and Florida) have been incredible this season. Alabama knows that firsthand about Arizona and Florida. After dropping a Q2 loss to Ole Miss Friday night, the Tide is almost certainly going to be on the 4-line – likely setting themselves up with a Sweet Sixteen match-up against Duke or Michigan.
But hey, they play the games for a reason. March is madness, as the Tide was reminded in Nashville. As I mentioned, Alabama’s offense is good enough to beat anybody in the country. When Latrell Wrightsell and Amari Allen are joining Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway in the scoring column, this Tide team is damn near impossible to beat.
Anyway, let’s hope for the best possible pathway to another Final Four. Don’t take these days for granted folks.
How to Watch
What: The 2026 NCAA Tournament Selection Show
When: 5:00 PM CDT
TV: CBS
Prediction: 4-seed in the East or Midwest
Visit College Basketball Odds: NCAA Men’s Lines & Spreads | FanDuel for more information and to place your wagers.
