Tag: alabama basketball

Alabama Basketball reaches out to Saint Mary’s transfer guard Aidan Mahaney

The Alabama basketball coaching staff is one of the programs that has reportedly reached out to Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney.

The Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trail ever since the season ended. The Crimson Tide have already landed two players via the transfer portal in Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette and USF transfer Chris Youngblood. Alabama has reportedly shown interest in Saint Mary’s transfer guard Aidan Mahaney.

According to Fox Sports’ Aaron Torres, over 115 programs reached out to Mahaney last night. The Crimson Tide are hopeful that they will be able to enter the mix. With there being uncertainty at the guard position heading into next season, Alabama could use some experience and depth.

Mahaney would provide just that. The sophomore from Lafayette, California averaged 13.9 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, and 2.6 assists per game last season with the Gaels. He shot 38.6% from the floor and 35.5% from beyond the arc.

Currently, Alabama has two guards on the roster with pending decisions coming from guards Mark Sears and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Mahaney would provide an immediate boost, so it will be interesting to see if the Crimson Tide decide to bring him in for an official visit.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the transfer portal.

Auburn transfer guard Aden Holloway expected to visit Alabama on Thursday

Auburn transfer guard Aden Holloway will be in Tuscaloosa on Thursday for an official visit.

The Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program is looking to add talent through the transfer portal. On Tuesday, On3’s Joe Tipton reported that Auburn Tigers transfer guard Aden Holloway would be taking an official visit to Alabama on Thursday.

Holloway spent one season at Auburn. The North Carolina native made 26 starts in the 35 games that he played in for the Tigers. He averaged 7.3 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game. In addition, Holloway shot 31.8% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond-the-arc.

In two games against Alabama a season ago, Holloway scored eight points. One issue that Holloway had at Auburn down the stretch was his ability to knock down threes. He struggled toward the end of the season. However, it seems like Holloway would fit nicely in Nate Oats’ offense. The Alabama coaching staff could be able to increase his shooting percentages and help boost his confidence heading into his sophomore season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the transfer portal.

Alabama basketball jerseys rank No. 1 in the country in 2024

Alabama’s brand new white basketball uniforms ranked No. 1 in the country by Uniswag

Listen, I get that correlation does not mean causation, however, I am certain that there is a direct correlation between Alabama Crimson Tide basketball unveiling a new uniform and going on the program’s first-ever Final Four run. The Tide faithful have been singing the praises of the uniform’s beauty since it was unveiled during the middle of the season, but their feelings were officially validated as Uniswag voted it as the Uniform of the Year in College Basketball.

The uniforms are just a small symbol of the upgrades that are coming to Tide Hoops as a result of head coach Nate Oats’s unprecedented success.

Oats and the Crimson Tide agreed to a new deal shortly ahead of March Madness keeping him in Tuscaloosa for the foreseeable future with one of the biggest buyouts in the sport.

I would imagine that on top of an increase in pay and further job security, Oats was given assurances regarding the resources that would be given to him in the coming years. As one of the top five coaches in college basketball, the Tide did all the right things by locking him up sooner rather than later. Especially with things like the Kentucky job opening up less than a month later.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Alabama Basketball forward Sam Walters expected to enter transfer portal

The Alabama basketball team saw its fourth scholarship player enter the transfer portal, as forward Sam Walters now looks for a new home.

The Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program saw its fourth scholarship player enter the NCAA transfer portal on Monday evening. According to On3’s Joe Tipton, Sam Walters plans to enter the transfer portal.

Walters was a four-star prospect out of Villages Charter School in The Villages, Florida. He was regarded as one of the top power forwards in the country in the 2023 recruiting class.

Upon arriving in Tuscaloosa, Walters cemented a key role off the Crimson Tide bench. As a freshman, Walters averaged 5.4 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game in 12.3 minutes per game. He shot 42.7% from the floor and 39.4% from beyond-the-arc.

Alabama will certainly miss Walters’ scoring prowess from three-point range. It will be interesting to see which direction Alabama chooses to go with one scholarship spot available at this time. That is subject to change with multiple players still to announce their decisions for the forseeable future. The likelihood of Walters returning to Tuscaloosa seems unlikely at this time.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the NCAA transfer portal.

Brandon Miller shocks arena with dominant slam dunk, continues to impress

Former Alabama forward Brandon Miller brought jaws to the floor after making a posterizing dunk in the first half of the Hornets-Hawks game.

Alabama Crimson Tide fans are well aware of what former Tide forward Brandon Miller is able to do on the hardwood. On Wednesday night, he put his skillset to display. During the first half of the Charlotte Hornets-Atlanta Hawks game, the star rookie sent fans into a frenzy on a posterizing dunk over Hawks forward Bruno Fernando.

Miller finished the night with 27 points, three rebounds, and two assists. He also shot 9/17 from the floor and 5/11 from beyond the arc. His production helped lead the Hornets to a 115-114 victory atop the Hawks.

Unfortunately for Miller, he has not had much of a supporting cast this season. The Hornets have struggled to create a consistent rotation and have had to deal with multiple injuries this season. Needless to say, Miller has been more than dependable for the Hornets.

Miller will look to close out the season on a strong note heading into the offseason with the Hornets. Two games are remaining on the Hornets’ schedule. Those two games will come on the road against the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama basketball program and its former Alabama players in the NBA.

Alabama Basketball reaches out to Alabama native, High Point transfer Duke Miles

The Alabama men’s basketball coaching staff has reportedly reached out to High Point transfer guard Duke Miles.

It did not take long for the Alabama Crimson Tide to reach out to High Point transfer guard Duke Miles. Miles entered his name into the transfer portal on Monday. According to 24/7 High School Hoops on social media, Alabama is one of many programs that has reportedly reached out to Miles, a native of Montgomery, Alabama.

Coming out of high school, Miles signed with Troy. He spent three seasons with the Trojans before transferring to High Point. As a Trojan, Miles averaged 10.3 points per game and shot 44.7% from deep.

In his lone season as a Panther, Miles was a First-team All-Big South selection. He ranked second in the Big South in scoring as he averaged 17.5 points per game. In addition, he shot a career-high 52.8% from the floor and a career-high 80.1% from the charity stripe.

Miles would be a valuable addition to Alabama’s roster. He would add experience and a scoring element to Nate Oats’ squad. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how Miles’ recruitment unfolds in the transfer portal.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the NCAA transfer portal.

Alabama basketball makes monumental jump in final USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Alabama basketball makes big-time move in the right direction for the Final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

The thrill of March Madness has come to a close, as the UConn Huskies defeated the Purdue Boilermakers to win a second consecutive national championship. However, the Huskies aren’t the only winners. The Alabama Crimson Tide made unprecedented strides and appeared in the program’s first-ever Final Four.

Success in March leads to a recruiting boost, more fan involvement, and in the current era of college athletics, more name, image, likeness money.

Alabama’s deep tournament run resulted in a massive jump in the right direction in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, moving up 14 spots all the way to No. 4.

The full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Rank Team Record Points Change
1 UConn 37-3 775 (31) –
2 Purdue 34-5 744 +1
3 Houston 32-5 651 -1
4 Alabama 25-12 542 +14
5 Tennessee 27-9 638 +1
6 North Carolina 29-8 578 -1
7 Illinois 29-9 561 +3
8 Iowa State 29-8 539 -4
9 Duke 27-9 521 +5
10 Creighton 25-10 473 +1
11 Marquette 27-10 457 -3
12 Arizona 27-9 440 -3
13 North Carolina State 26-15 389 +20
14 Baylor 24-11 330 -1
15 Clemson 24-12 325 –
16 Gonzaga 27-8 312 –
17 Auburn 27-8 302 -10
18 San Diego State 26-11 217 +7
19 Kentucky 23-10 171 -7
20 Utah State 28-7 164 -1
21 Kansas 23-11 135 -1
22 Saint Mary’s 26-8 128 -7
23 South Carolina 26-8 124 -6
24 Washington State 25-10 62 +3
25 Texas Tech 23-11 49 -3

Patrick Conn of the College Sports Wire broke down the winners and losers of the final Coaches Poll and named the Crimson Tide as a winner.

“What a job by Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide. They advanced to their first Final Four in school history after winning the West Region. They had to finish off the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels and No. 6 Clemson Tigers to get there. The Tide gave UConn a run but it just wasn’t enough as the Huskies prevailed.

“After a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and this run to the Final Four, what does the former math teacher have in store for 2024-25?”

Head coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide have a bright future together and fans have many reasons to be excited for the 2024-2025 college basketball season.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Alabama Basketball reaches out to Ohio State transfer guard Roddy Gayle Jr.

The Alabama men’s basketball coaching staff recently reached out to Ohio State transfer guard Roddy Gayle Jr.

It did not take long for the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball coaching staff to hit the recruiting trail. Recently, the Crimson Tide reached out to Ohio State Buckeyes transfer guard Roddy Gayle Jr.

Gayle Jr. spent the past two seasons with the Buckeyes. The New York native played sparingly during his freshman season. He played in 36 games while making 11 starts. He averaged 4.6 points per game and 1.6 rebounds per game.

As a sophomore, Gayle Jr. started in 35 of the 36 games that he played in. He averaged 13.5 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per game. Gayle Jr. shot 44.9% from the floor and 28.4% from beyond the arc.

It is unclear what Gayle Jr.’s plans are in terms of taking official visits. If Alabama can get Gayle Jr. on campus, it will increase their chances of landing the Big Ten transfer.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its involvement in the NCAA transfer portal.

Nate Oats responds to the Kentucky head coaching job rumors

Alabama Crimson Tide basketball coach Nate Oats takes to social media to respond to rumors that he would be a candidate to replace John Calipari at Kentucky.

Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats was the center of rumors regarding the Kentucky Wildcats head coaching vacancy. With long-time coach John Calipari leaving for the Arkansas Razorbacks, there’s a need for a new head coach in Lexington, Kentucky.

Oats has spent five seasons in Tuscaloosa and has improved the program on the court, on the recruiting trail and in March each season. Just a few days ago, he led the Crimson Tide to its first-ever Final Four appearance.

Fans were conflicted online, with Alabama fans concerned that he’d jump at the opportunity, some Kentucky fans calling for Oats to be the primary candidate, and others considering him a legitimate option for the job.

Nate Oats is not leaving. In a post shared to social media, Oats addresses the Crimson Tide faithful,

“I am fully committed to this team and to this university. We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball. Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball news as it becomes available.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Paul Finebaum believes Nate Oats to Kentucky is a real possibility

Could Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats be on the move to Kentucky? Paul Finebaum believes it’s a possibility.

Just days after leading the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program to its first-ever Final Four appearance, there are rumors that he could be on his way out of Tuscaloosa. With John Calipari leaving the Kentucky Wildcats for the Arkansas Razorbacks job, there is an intriguing job opening in Lexington.

This coaching carousel is still in the early stages and began when the first domino fell of Eric Musselman left Arkansas for the head coaching position for the USC Trojans.

Alabama and Oats recently reached an agreement on a long-term contract extension that features a buyout of over $18 million, but that steep price may not be an issue for Kentucky.

ESPN SEC commentator Paul Finebaum recently stated that the Wildcats saved a lot of money by not firing Calipari, and that they may be willing to dig into their pockets to bring in a coach that can change the program for the better.

The athletics department would not have to look very far, as Oats is in the SEC and is undoubtedly one of the hottest names in college basketball at the moment.

“The one you have to keep your eye on, we just saw SEC to SEC, Keep your eye on Nate Oats. He just took Alabama – yes, Alabama – to the Final Four for the first time in history. The only issue, he just got a new contract from Greg Byrne, the athletic director, and Greg Byrne put in a $20 million buyout.”

With the news of Calipari’s departure still fresh, there has yet to be any official word on the possibility of Oats being contacted by the Kentucky athletic department. For now, it’s all speculation, but it’s hard to believe that Oats wouldn’t be on a short list of possible targets for the Wildcats.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Nate Oats and the possibility of losing him to Kentucky as more news and reports become available.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.