Nate Oats share early thoughts on Alabama’s Round 1 game against Hofstra
By David Wasson
Published:
The Alabama Crimson Tide will be headed to Tampa, Fla., for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as the fourth-seeded Tide will take on the 13th-seeded Hofstra Pride on Friday in a Midwest Bracket game at Benchmark International Arena.
Alabama (23-9 overall, 13-5 SEC) is no stranger to the Big Dance in recent years, as the Tide are making their sixth straight appearance and fourth in a row under coach Nate Oats. Hofstra, meanwhile, is back dancing for the first time in 25 years under coach Speedy Claxton, who starred for the Pride from 1996-2000.
Oats talked with the media about the Hofstra matchup after it was announced Sunday, cautioning that the Pride’s elite guard play – including a familiar face – will certainly be a factor in the first round.
“Love the Friday in Tampa draw. Hofstra is good. I can’t say I love the draw,” Oats said. “I think obviously they have very good guards. They had (former Alabama guard Aaron) Estrada, who took us to a Final Four. They’ve got two very good guards again — Cruz Davis, one of the best mid-major guards in the country. … I think Speedy Claxton is one of the better mid-major coaches in the country.”
Hofstra went 24-10 this season and finished third in the Colonial Athletic Conference regular season at 12-6. But the Pride went on a run in the CAA Tournament, knocking off William & Mary, Towson and Monmouth to punch their ticket.
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An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
