Everyone in Tuscaloosa is understandably in party mode, as the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide punched their ticket to the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament by knocking out a blueblood in the Sweet 16 stage Thursday night. Alabama is moving on to the next round after they escaped with an 89-87 win against the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels.
Nate Oats Has the Alabama Crimson Tide Focused on 1 Major Goal in 2024 March Madness
Although Oats is ecstatic about his squad’s success at the expense of a traditional national powerhouse, he made sure to keep his team grounded and focused on the ultimate goal.
“We haven’t done a thing yet so let’s not act like we’ve done anything yet. Now, if we can beat Carolina, now we’ve done something. Now we’re one win away from a Final Four, the first one in school history,” Oats said during the postgame press conference (h/t CBS Sports College Basketball)
Before ending North Carolina’s run in the tourney, Alabama only had one trip to the Elite Eight round, which took place in 2004. The Crimson Tide lost in that round to the UConn Huskies, so a win on Saturday against the No. 6 Clemson Tigers would give Alabama its first-ever Final Four berth in program history.
Last season, Alabama reached the Sweet 16 round but lost to the San Diego State Aztecs, who went on to play in the national title game.
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