TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Crimson Tide Men's Basketball team are back home, returning to Tuscaloosa without an NCAA Championship trophy, but richer and wiser for the experience. Saturday's performance at the Final Four match against the University of Connecticut ended in a 72-86 loss.
"We had an unbelievable run," said Head Coach Nate Oats immediately following the game. "I can't say enough about the leadership of these guys, particularly in the last few weeks. We played arguably the best team in the country. UConn is top five in offense and defense. I thought our guys did a good job staying in there."
Alabama finished the season with a 25-12 overall record and reached the program's second-ever Elite Eight, and, lest it be forgot, its first Final Four in team history.
The team is also marking other successes accomplished throughout the season. Mark Sears finished the year with 797 points and 26 games with at least 20 points. Grant Nelson achieved a personal season-best of 15 rebounds in Saturday's game and his fourth double-double of the season. Senior Max Scharnowski walks away from State Farm Stadium in Glendale with NCAA's Elite 90 Award for achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average among his Final Four compatriates. The pre-med major also recieved the SEC's Community Service award this season.
Oats is now 8-4 in 12 career tournament games with the Tide, including three Sweet 16 games and the history-making Final Four game.
It is evident that every man on the Tide basketball team this season has memories that will last far beyond the initial sting of the game's outcome.
