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Alabama Basketball: 5 crucial games on 2019-20 schedule to look out for

By Griffin McVeigh

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Head coach Nate Oats of the Buffalo Bulls yells to his team during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Head coach Nate Oats of the Buffalo Bulls yells to his team during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – JANUARY 19: John Petty #23 of the Alabama Crimson Tide defended by Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of their game at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – JANUARY 19: John Petty #23 of the Alabama Crimson Tide defended by Jordan Bone #0 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of their game at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

Alabama Basketball has a legit chance to make the NCAA Tournament this upcoming season. Which games could determing the Tide’s fate?

The 2018-2019 season for the Alabama basketball was a wild and exciting one that eventually ended in major disappointment. Alabama missed out on the NCAA tournament because of some key non-conference home losses and their inability to win SEC game on the road. Avery Johnson was fired and was replaced by Buffalo’s head coach, Nate Oats.

Going into the 2019-2020 season, the Crimson Tide once again have tournament hopes. Top players Kira Lewis and John Petty return, but losing key role players like Donta Hall, Tevin Mack, and Dazon Ingram will hurt the Crimson Tide. Alabama needs to take a step up if they want to make some noise in the SEC.

In order to make that step up, Alabama needs to win games they are expected to, plus some. While that may sound obvious, the Crimson Tide failed to do that last season. Bad out of conference loses to Northeastern and Georgia State and going 2-6 on the road in the SEC does not make the NCAA tournament. To add to that, if Alabama was able to beat Central Florida, a tournament team, at home, and the Crimson Tide may have been dancing in March instead of crashing out of the NIT first round.

This season, the Crimson Tide face another uphill test in the SEC with the conference remaining deep and talented. The road tests do not get any easier, on the non-conference schedule is more difficult than last year. Here are five games on the Crimson Tide’s schedule to look out for that could determine Alabama’s fate this season.

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