Breaking down Alabama basketball’s non-conference schedule with 5 Sweet Sixteen opponents

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats is a well-known fan of a non-conference gauntlet.

Projected to be a top-five team in the preseason polls, the Crimson Tide shouldn’t have expected any different from its skipper for the 2024-25 season.

This year’s non-con slate features seven teams that qualified for the 2024 NCAA Tournament, five making the Sweet 16 and beyond: Creighton, Houston, Illinois, North Carolina and Purdue.

The Cupcakes

UNC Ashville, Nov. 4

After a final Four run, Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum with a target on its back to open the season. The inaugural meeting between the two could get chippy, with UNC-Asheville riding high off of last season’s 22-12 runner-up finish in the Big South,. Alabama will be looking to make a statement in the season opener.

Kent State, Dec. 22

Kent State hopes history will repeat itself: 22 years ago, the No. 10-seed Golden Flashes dealt the Crimson Tide an upset in the NCAA Tournament. But if Oats’ roster is as complete as it’s hyped to be, Alabama should be able to flip the script with ease in this home game. Plus, Oats notched a 7-3 record over coach Robert Senderoff during his time at Buffalo.

Big names, big games

Dec 9, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (12) drives to the basket against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue, Nov. 15

Two Final Four squads meet in an early test in West Lafayette, Indiana. Alabama reached college basketball’s biggest stage for the first time in school history last season, while Purdue clinched a program high 34 wins to reach the national championship game for the first time since 1969.

Nate Oats: NBA ‘intrigues me’, but ‘I’m happy where I am right now’ with Alabama basketball

Holding Hollywood: How would Alabama football defense stop star freshman Ryan Williams? ‘Hold him’

North Carolina, Dec. 4

In March, Alabama shocked a top-seeded UNC with a 89-87 season-ending…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/breaking-down-alabama-basketballs-non-090104080.html

Author : The Tuscaloosa News

Publish date : 2024-10-07 09:01:04

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.