Nate Oats’ Alabama Crimson Tide have started off the season strongly through the first month; although, that is hardly a surprise when taking into account the lofty expectations that have surrounded this team throughout the offseason. Alabama currently sits at No. 10 in the latest AP Poll with a record of 6-2. The ranking is slightly lower than where they started the season at; however, at such an early stage of the campaign, it would be unfair to say that the team is performing worse than expected.
Recap Of The First Month Of The Season
Through 8 games, Alabama already possesses one of the toughest strength of schedules in the country. They have faced four teams that are currently ranked: No. 8 Purdue, No. 19 Illinois, No. 17 Houston, and No. 12 Oregon. Furthermore, the Tide are 2-2 in those four games, beating Illinois and Houston and losing to Purdue and Oregon. Yet another ranked matchup lurks ahead on the immediate horizon in the form of a road trip to Chapel Hill to face No. 20 North Carolina who have lost their last two games.
In addition to their higher profile games, Alabama has also beaten the likes of UNC Asheville, Arkansas State, McNeese, and Rutgers, making them a perfect 4-0 in games against unranked opponents. The Crimson Tide have continually shown their offensive prowess through the young season, scoring at least 72 points in every one of their games. They have already hit or exceeded 100 points twice this season and have surpassed 80 points four additional times. Altogether, the Tide are averaging 88.6 points per game—good enough for 11th in the country and 3rd in the SEC (behind Kentucky and Missouri).
Which Players Have Had The Spotlight So Far?
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier
This year’s Alabama team sees the return several big stars from the group that led the Crimson Tide to their first-ever Final Four appearance in last season’s NCAA Tournament. The most notable of their returning players are Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, both of whom are currently the top two scorers on the team.
Alongside leading the team in scoring with 16 points per game, Mark Sears also ranks 1st on the team in minutes played with 32.1 per outing. Additionally, Sears averages 3.6 assists per game, 3.2 rebounds per game, and a single steal per game, while shooting 35.1 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from beyond the arc. Sears is also one of only two players (the other being Clifford Omoruyi) to start all eight games.
Grant Nelson, who had previously made a name for himself during the 2024 NCAA Tournament, is the leading rebounder on the squad, racking in an average of 7.8 boards per game. He is also 2nd on the team in points per game (13.5), minutes per game (28.1), and shooting percentage (55.4).
On a more somber note, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., arguably the third best player on the team, suffered a non-contact lower leg injury during Saturday’s 83-81 loss to Oregon in the championship game of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Coach Oats later confirmed that it was an Achilles injury for Wrightsell. Although the extent of the injury and timetable for Wrightsell’s return are both currently unknown, it does not seem likely that we will see him on the court again anytime soon. The injury news is undoubtedly a huge blow for the Crimson Tide.
Will Alabama Live Up To The Preseason Hype?
It’s hard to say if Nate Oats’ team will live up to the massive hype they have garnered since last season’s historic tournament run. So far, nothing has happened to indicate that this is not a championship-caliber team. If anything, their prolific offense and almost unrivaled 3-point shooting ability has indicated that they are just as good as advertised. As we get closer to conference play which coincides with the dawn of the new year, we will come to know more about where the Crimson Tide stand among the nation’s top contenders.
For More Sports Content
Follow me on X at @genz_sportz
