Can Alabama Make the NCAA Tournament? One Bracket Expert Thinks So
Alabama hasn't been a part of the NCAA Tournament conversation all season, but the Crimson Tide could quietly be creeping its way back onto the bubble.
Avery Johnson's team picked up its ninth conference win on Saturday with an 18-point victory over LSU which puts it in a tie for fourth in the SEC. With a 16-10 record overall, Alabama could reach 20 wins before selection Sunday, but would that be enough to earn an at-large bid?
According to Jerry Palm's projections, probably so. The Crimson Tide is currently listed as one of the last four teams into his bracket on CBSSports.com. Palm has Alabama playing Rhode Island in one of the First Four games.
Before you get too excited, keep in mind that no other projections place Alabama in at this point. USA Today has the team under consideration but ESPN's Joe Lunardi doesn't include them among the first eight teams out of the tournament. The team will need to finish strong to strengthen its RPI, which currently sits near 70.
The schedule is pretty favorable the final two weeks of the season, but as we've seen this year, no game is a guarantee. Alabama won't have to face any of the teams tied or ahead of it, but will have to play two of the final four games on the road. If Alabama can find a way to win out, these projections seem to indicate that there's a good chance of an at-large bid.
The next game will be at home against Georgia on Thursday night.