Alabama Basketball Climbs in March Madness Projections

Crimson Tide move up to a No. 3 seed in latest USA TODAY Sports bracketology

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:35pm

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The Alabama Crimson Tide have moved up to a projected No. 3 seed in the latest NCAA Tournament bracketology from USA TODAY Sports. After a dominant win over Auburn to close the regular season, Alabama is now seen as a potential second-round matchup with the Miami Hurricanes if they can get past UC Irvine in the first round.

Why it matters

Alabama's rise in the March Madness projections is a testament to their strong second-half performance, led by the backcourt duo of Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon. As one of the top teams in the SEC, the Crimson Tide have a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and potentially earn a spot in the Sweet 16 or beyond.

The details

Alabama (23-8) will face the Ole Miss Rebels (14-19) in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament on Friday. The Rebels have been a surprise team in Nashville this week, upsetting Texas and Georgia. The Crimson Tide, who have a double-bye, haven't played since their 96-84 win over Auburn on March 7. Holloway and Philon led Alabama with 21 points each in that game.

  • Alabama last played on March 7, defeating Auburn 96-84.
  • The Crimson Tide will face Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, March 13 at 6 p.m. CT.

The players

Aden Holloway

A key member of Alabama's backcourt who scored 21 points in the Crimson Tide's regular-season finale win over Auburn.

Labaron Philon

Alabama's other starting guard, who also scored 21 points in the win over Auburn.

Nate Oats

The head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, who has led the team to a strong second-half run and a projected No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Malik Dia

A player for the Ole Miss Rebels who has helped lead the team's surprising run in the SEC Tournament.

A.J. Storr

Another Ole Miss player who has contributed to the Rebels' tournament success, combining with Dia for 36 points against Georgia.

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What they’re saying

“Another team on a strong second half run has been Alabama with the Tide winning eight of 10 entering the postseason. The backcourt of Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon give them the firepower to make some noise.”

— Erick Smith, USA TODAY Sports Analyst

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