Is Alabama Basketball Ready to Be No. 1 This Time Around?

The Crimson Tide has been at the top of the polls just one other time — it almost immediately lost a game.

SI Editorial | Feb 14, 2023

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Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — There is big news coming out of the Alabama men’s basketball program this week.

For the first time since 2002-03 and just the second time ever, the Crimson Tide (22-3, 12-0 SEC) is ranked first in the country.

Yes — No. 1.

Alabama has been around the top spot all season but after now-No. 3 Purdue lost to Northwestern on Sunday, the Crimson Tide jumped No. 2 Houston to take the top spot in both the AP and coaches’ polls.

“It doesn't really change anything for us, to be honest,” forward Noah Gurley said. “It's a big maturity game. A lot of storylines around being No. 1. We feel like we can get this one.”

Rewind to Dec. 30, 2002.

Alabama was ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history under head coach Mark Gottfried. The 9-0 Crimson Tide visited Utah in Salt Lake City and lost 51-49 after two game-winning free throws by Utes guard Nick Jacobson.

Now over 20 years later, Alabama is in a similar position under fourth-year head coach Nate Oats. The top-ranked Crimson Tide is set to travel to Knoxville to take on No. 10 Tennessee. Even though the Volunteers (19-6, 8-4 SEC) have suffered four conference losses, Tennessee ranks high in metrics — currently fifth in KenPom.

“This has been a matchup that everybody's been looking forward to for a while,” Oats said. “Tennessee's been at the top of the metrics, at the top of the rankings.”

“[Rick] Barnes has done an unbelievable job. They've established themselves as one of the best teams in the SEC year in, year out. They've had luck go against them. We're probably hitting them at the worst time.”

Oats is hoping his team won’t have a result similar to the one in late 2002 — when it was also No. 1.

“We did talk about it for a little bit,” Oats said. “What does it mean? It means absolutely nothing. […] No. 1 in the country on Feb. 14 doesn't really mean anything. Seven weeks from now is the goal.”

Oats doesn’t believe his team will fall to complacency.

“If you're too worried about being ranked high and not what it took to get there and what it will take to stay there, it's gonna affect your performance,” Oats said. “I don't think our guys are like that.”

Alabama — now No. 1 — looks to stay unbeaten in the SEC Wednesday night on “Rocky Top.” Tipoff between the Crimson Tide and Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2 / ESPNU.

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