Alabama basketball announces home-and-home with 2024 Final Four team
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Alabama will meet a fellow 2024 Final Four team next season.
The program announced a home-and-home series with storied Big Ten program Purdue on Tuesday. The teams will meet in West Lafayette on Nov. 15, 2024, in Mackey Arena. The date for the 2025-26 season game in Tuscaloosa will be announced at a later time.
Tide Hoops & Boiler Ball over the next two seasons starting at Mackey Arena. #RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/aOkxp632i2
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) May 28, 2024
Both squads reached the Final Four last year, but did not face each other. Alabama’s season come to a close with an 86-72 loss to UConn, giving the Crimson Tide a final record of 25-12. The Huskies would go on to defeat Purdue 75-60 in the national championship game.
Alabama has a 3-6 record in meetings with Purdue. The Crimson Tide and Boilermakers had a memorable last December in Toronto. Zach Edey and Braden Smith helped Purdue erase a 12-point deficit for a 92-86 win. Mark Sears had 35 points in the contest.
High expectations for Nate Oats’ team in 2024-25
Coming off Alabama’s first trip to the Final Four, there is already talk of making it again in 2025.
The Crimson Tide could be the preseason favorite in the SEC. UA notably returns Grant Nelson and Latrell Wrightsell from last year’s team.
The college basketball world awaits Mark Sears’ decision. The Alabama All-SEC standout declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, but left the door open for a return to Tuscaloosa. Wednesday is the decision deadline for prospects out of college.
The Tide recently announced a transfer portal class of Aden Holloway, Houston Mallette, Clifford Omoruyi, Labaron Philon and Chris Youngblood. They join blue-chip freshmen Derrion Reid, Aiden Sherrell and Naas Cunningham as newcomers.
“I am thrilled with the players we brought in and the value they will add to our program,” Nate Oats said of his transfer class. “I am proud of our coaching staff in being able to add veteran leadership along with the talent of our incoming freshmen who have all played in big and meaningful games.”
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
