Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball

Infobox CBB Team
name = Alabama Crimson Tide
logo =
logo_size = 150px
university = University of Alabama
conference = Southeastern Conference
conference_short = SEC
division =
city = Tuscaloosa
stateabb = AL
state = Alabama
coach = Mark Gottfried
tenure = 10th
arena = Coleman Coliseum
capacity = 15,043
nickname = Crimson Tide
color1 = Crimson
color2 = White
hex1 = 990000
hex2 = FFFFFF
h_body=990000
h_pattern_b=_thinsidesonwhite
h_shorts=990000
h_pattern_s=_blanksides
a_body=990000
a_pattern_b=_thinwhitesides
a_shorts=990000
a_pattern_s=_whitesides
NCAAchampion =
NCAAfinalfour =
NCAAeliteeight = 2004
conference_tournament = 1934, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991
conference_season = 1934, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1987, 2002

The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has been overshadowed for most of its history by football even though it trails only Kentucky in SEC basketball wins, SEC tournament titles and regular season titles. In recent years, the men's basketball program has again risen in stature nationally under head coach Mark Gottfried, achieving a No. 1 national ranking briefly in 2003. Further, UA has once again become a regular conference basketball contender, much as it was in the 80s and early 90s under the direction of Wimp Sanderson and the 70s under C. M. Newton. Alabama has 8 NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and in the 2003-04 season, the men's team reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament; they ended up losing to eventual champion, Connecticut.

Former Coaches

Former coaches with at least five years include: C.M. Newton (1969-1980); Wimp Sanderson (1981-1992) - Alabama's winningest coach (69.2%); David Hobbs (1992-1998).cite web | title="Listings by UA Career Won" | work= | url=http://www.rolltide.com/fls/8000/files/mbasketball/history/Alabama_Head_Coaches_All_Time.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=8000| accessdate=2007-02-03]

C. M. Newton

In 1968, legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who had been the coach for the University of Kentucky's football team during Newton's playing days, called Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp looking for someone to turn around the University of Alabama's basketball program. Rupp recommended Newton, who after twelve seasons at Transylvania, left Lexington for Tuscaloosa. [http://www.ukalumni.net/ukalumni/pubs/pdf/RecognizableClass.pdf Recognizable Class - Published in "Kentucky Alumnus"] ] In twelve seasons at Alabama, Newton led the Crimson Tide to a record of 211-123. The Crimson Tide won three straight Southeastern Conference titles under Newton (1974, 1975, and 1976), the only program besides the University of Kentucky to accomplish this feat. [http://www.ukalumni.net/ukalumni/pubs/pdf/RecognizableClass.pdf Recognizable Class - Published in "Kentucky Alumnus"] ] Newton also guided Alabama to four NIT and two NCAA tournament berths, prompting the school to name a recruiting suite in his honor in 2006. [ [http://www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=37514&SPID=3041&DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=247921 C.M. Newton Recruiting Suite to be Dedicated Wednesday] ]

Just as he did at Transylvania, Newton recruited the Alabama's first black player, Wendell Hudson, in 1969, integrating his second team in as many coaching stops. [http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Newton.htm C. M. Newton Bio at the Basketball Hall of Fame] ]

Wimp Sanderson

In 1960, Sanderson became a graduate assistant under C. M. Newton and in 1961 he was made a full time assistant. He served in this capacity for 20 years until 1981 when he was named Alabama's head basketball coach. In ten years as head coach his teams averaged 21.8 wins a year, with a 267-119 record, and they won 4 SEC tournaments. They played in one NIT and eight NCAA tournaments making the "Sweet 16" five times. Sanderson is the only coach in Alabama history to win 200 or more games in his first 10 years. He was the SEC Coach of the Year in 1987, 1989 and 1990, and was the National Coach of the Year in 1987.cite web|title="Wimp Sanderson"|work=Alabama Sports Hall of Fame|url=http://www.ashof.org/index.php?src=directory&view=company&srctype=display&back=company&id=230&category=Basketball&submenu=Inductees&pos=0,15,14&PHPSESSID=4558f07a5692c8f5eb8069936dd5870d|accessdate=2007-02-25]

Mark Gottfried Era

†"Tide Alumnus Source"cite web | title="Bama in the NBA" | work= | url=http://www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=239596 |date=2005-02-02 | accessdate=2007-02-03]

NCAA Tournament

Alabama has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 19 times. They reached the Sweet Sixteen eight times [Alabama's records for the 1987 tournament were vacated by the NCAA.] [Citation | title = Official 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book | last1 = Johnson | first1 = Gary | last2 = Straziscar | first2 = Sean | last3 = Senappe | first3 = Bonnie | last4 = Williams | first4 = Jeff | last5 = Buerge | first5 = Kevin | pages = p. 51 | date = October 2007 | url = http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/basketball/m_basketball_records_book/2008/2008_m_basketball_records.pdf | publisher = National Collegiate Athletic Association | issn = 1089-5280] and the Elite Eight once in 2004. Alabama has an overall NCAA Tournament record of 20-19.cite web | title= "Alabama in the NCAA Tournament"| work= | url=http://www.rolltide.com/fls/8000/files/mbasketball/2007-08/mediaguide/153-163.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=8000]

Arena Information

The Tide practice and play in Coleman Coliseum, 15,043-seat multi-purpose arena in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The arena was built for $4.2 million and opened in 1968 as a replacement for the aging "Foster Auditorium".

Coleman Coliseum was named for Jefferson Jackson Coleman, a prominent alumnus. Until his death, in 1995 he was the only person that had attended every Alabama bowl game, starting with the Rose Bowl game on 1926 January 1. Prior to 1990, the building was known as "Memorial Coliseum".

References

External links

* [http://www.rolltide.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=8000&KEY=&SPID=3033&SPSID=37468 Official Alabama Basketball Team page on RollTide.com]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=alabama Players who attended Alabama]