By: William Smythe

Take a long, hard look at the resumes of the nation’s top 25 and tell me there’s a better one than that of the Tide. We’ve been trained to believe that – regardless of talent in previous years – Alabama cannot, and will not, transition from a football to a basketball school – or at least balance the two.

In a bizarre change of circumstances, the Tide have put together a season that would make Saban and company proud. 

Plenty of questions surrounded Nate Oats’ unit following the losses of four starters and a 19-14 finish to a season “capped” by a play-in loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. Keep in mind that this program – which has never reached the heights of its football counterpart – only reached the tournament twice in the ten years before Oats’ hiring. Some fine players passed through Tuscaloosa under Anthony Grant and Avery Johnson, respectively, but the former Buffalo coach has brought life back to an overshadowed sport at Alabama. 

So – with the losses of double-digit scorers in Jaden Shackelford (16.6 ppg), Keon Ellis (12.1 ppg) and freshman phenom JD Davison – who would Oats bring in to right the ship? The presumed savior of Alabama basketball struck gold both in the recruiting circuit and the transfer portal – landing the no. 4 overall class (only behind Duke, Arkansas and Texas).

A palpable buzz has returned to Tuscaloosa since the 2021, 26-7 season that ended with a no. 5 ranking in the AP Poll – a fitting indicator of what the Oats’ tenure would hold.

Oats didn’t just rebuild in the portal. He flourished. The addition of freshmen five-stars – shooting guard Brandon Miller and point guard Jaden Bradley – complemented a class that boasted three other four-stars and two transfers – including Ohio guard Mark Sears. Following a season which left many wondering about Oats’ third act, the five-stars and Sears immediately left us all thinking, “could Alabama make a run this year – not a Sweet Sixteen exit – but a run?”

The last few weeks have left no doubt about Alabama’s legitimacy. The first few weeks were equally as encouraging, yet the dominance on the court – both in and out of Coleman Coliseum – has given us reason to wonder whether Purdue holds a candle to this team. No one in the country has either the edge or consistency which Alabama has shown.

Let’s begin with the losses (there’s only two, so this’ll be quick).

The 17-2 Crimson Tide fell – by fifteen on a neutral site – to a UConn unit rapidly climbing the ladder.  A few games later and with two wins against no. 1 teams under their belt, Alabama couldn’t escape a shootout against Drew Timme and the ‘Zags – a 100-90 result which marked the end of a four-game winning streak. If we believe in the loss spectrum from good to abysmal, these certainly fall under the umbrella of the former.

The wins – on the other hand – are spectacular.

Even with a no. 1 ranked North Carolina flirting with panic after several close wins and a loss to Iowa State, the Tide snatched victory away from a desperate Tar Heel team in quadruple overtime. The last contest of the Phil Knight Invitational would give Oats and company a 2-1 record coming out of Portland – including a 81-70 performance against a then-no. 12 ranked Michigan State.

Miller stepped onto the scene with a 24-point effort, officially putting the nation on notice about the 6’9 freshman with a knack for the three-ball. 

The win of the season so far for Alabama – however? A dramatic, 71-65 triumph over no. 1 Houston at their place. The Tide went toe-to-toe with the Cougars in a matchup between two top-tier defenses (Alabama’s offense versus Houston’s D was must-see TV, as well).

And so, following a 10-2 record in arguably the hardest non-conference slate, the Tide turned their attention to the SEC.

The momentum has built ever so steadily in the wake of the Gonzaga loss. The scoring differentials themselves are mind-boggling. Alabama is currently first in the SEC with a 7-0 record and – wait for it – a +143 scoring differential against their conference opponents.

They trounced LSU by 40 and handled then-no. 21 Mississippi State and no. 15 Arkansas on the road by double-digits. Domination would be the word to describe Alabama’s recent play.

Who are the keys to Alabama’s success?

Brandon Miller. Simply put, Miller is the nation’s top freshman and a legitimate contender for a spot as a first-team All-American. The 6’9 forward averages 19.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg, shoots the lights out of the gym and went for 36, 31 and 30 against Gonzaga, LSU and Vanderbilt – and he’s not the only bright spot. 

Fellow freshmen Noah Clowney (9.9 ppg) and Bradley (8.7 ppg) round out a starting lineup that is rangy and undeniably fierce on the defensive end. Bradley has surprisingly supplanted former five-star Jahvon Quinerly – the Tide’s second leading scorer last season – as the primary ball-handler for a team with an embarrassment of riches at every position.

Bradley, Quinerly or Sears (14.6 ppg) can each dictate the offense’s tempo, while Miller provides an unmatched combination of defensive length and three-point shooting. 

The frontcourt – arguably Alabama’s “weakness” – features a duo of Clowney and the seven-footer Charles Bediako, both of whom average more than five rebounds and anchor the paint defensively. These two have been critical in giving the Tide the fifth most efficient defensive unit in the country, according to KenPom.

Moreover, the Tide were without the services of Texas Tech transfer Nimari Burnett (7.9 ppg) – a shooting guard and defensive standout – for nine of their nineteen games this season. Burnett is supposedly good-to-go for the rest of conference play after suffering a wrist injury in December. 

They shouldn’t even need him, right? 

This team has every making of a no. 1 roster. They haven’t found themselves there – somehow still below a Purdue team with a loss to Rutgers and a track record of close wins – but everyone will know about Alabama’s remarkable run soon. This is the year for Alabama basketball to cement themselves as a mainstay, not in the shadow of Saban but in the rafters of Coleman.

A national title is very much in reach for the Tide; never would I have imagined uttering these words.