Throwback Thursday: Alabama Basketball 30 years Ago

The 1990 Crimson Tide were SEC Tournament champions ..... again

There's a misperception that's been growing around the University of Alabama campus that if the Crimson Tide basketball program can just get over the hump of continually being a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament that it'll be at an all-time high. 

It's absolutely not true. 

Historically, Alabama basketball is one of the most successful programs in the Southeastern Conference. 

Granted, it hasn't won the league's regular-season title since 2002, or the tournament championship since 1991. But between them it holds 14 titles.  

The 1990 team was right in the middle of its last successful title stretch, when the Crimson Tide won the SEC Tournament championship three straight years (and four out of five). 

In all three cases, Alabama was seeded second. 

Georgia won the 1989-90 regular season title after finishing one game ahead of Alabama (26-9 overall, 12-6 conference) in the standings. 

Alabama's top four scorers were all forwards, led by junior Melvin Cheatum (15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds), and sophomore Robert Horry (13.1, 6.2). Right behind them was David Benoit (10.5, 6.1) and Keith Askins (9.9, 5.1). 

The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs seemed destined to meet in the the tournament in Orlando, but it didn't happen. 

Alabama opened with a 59-44 victory over Mississippi State, and then met Auburn after it pulled off a 78-76 upset over No. 16 LSU. 

Following a bye, No. 25 Georgia was shocked by Vanderbilt 78-74 in overtime, after the Commodores had to beat Florida the day before. Consequently, Alabama ended up blowing out Ole Miss in the championship game, 70-51.  

Head Coach Wimp Sanderson is surrounded by his assistants David Hobbs, Kevin Gray and Gregg Polinsky

Cheatum, Benoit and Horry all were selected to All-SEC teams and the All-SEC Tournament team.  

Cheatum was named the MVP of the tournament.

After being seeded seven in the West Regional, Alabama won two games in the subsequent NCAA Tournament, beating Colorado State and Arizona. In the next round, it lost to Loyola-Marymount by two points less than three weeks after star player Hank Gathers died. ULM made it all the way to the region finals, when it bowed out to eventual national champion UNLV by the jaw-dropping score of 131-101. 

The Crimson Tide ended the season ranked 23rd in the country.

Wimp Sanderson on the All Things Bama Podcast

Alabama Athletics