Report: Alabama, St. John's basketball finalizing home-and-home series
Nate Oats appears to have landed another early-season non-conference test for Alabama basketball, and it comes with a trip to The Big Apple.
According to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Alabama and St. John's are finalizing a home-and-home series against each other. The series would start this upcoming 2025-26 college basketball season on Nov. 8 at Madison Square Garden, with the return game taking place in Birmingham during the 2026-27 season.
Advertisement
Alabama's NIL collective, Yea Alabama, confirmed Rothstein's reporting on its X account (formerly Twitter) that the Crimson Tide and Red Storm were working on scheduling a game at The World's Most Famous Arena.
REQUIRED READING: Nick Saban expected to join President Donald Trump's commission on college athletics: Reports
Scheduling a team like St. John's, which was ranked as high as No. 5 in the country last season and earned a No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, is not something new for Oats nor is the decision of scheduling the game right out of the gate, as these caliber-level games serve as early tests for SEC play and March Madness.
Advertisement
"Alabama men's basketball is working towards scheduling a game with St. John's in Madison Square Garden in November," Yea Alabama wrote on X.
In recent years, Oats has scheduled marquee non-conference games against Houston, Gonzaga, Creighton, Illinois, Memphis and Arizona, among others. Last year, Oats and Alabama faced Houston, Rutgers and Oregon in The Players Era Festival, an NIL-driven multi-team event in Las Vegas that they will compete in again this year.
November's expected game between Alabama and St. John's will be the first head-to-head meeting between Oats and St. John's Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino since the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida, when Pitino was then at Iona. The two also coached against each other in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Both the Crimson Tide and Red Storm have utilized the transfer portal this season to reshape their rosters from last season. St. John's has landed North Carolina guard Ian Jackson, Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell, Providence forward Bryce Hopkins, Arizona State guard Joson Sanon and Stanford guard Oziyah Sellers, giving Pitino what many college basketball analysts believe will be one of the top rosters, if not the top roster in the country this season.
Advertisement
As noted by the Tuscaloosa News, Oats has retooled last year's Elite Eight team with four players from the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide most recently landed Tarleton State 6-foot-8 forward Keitenn Bristow in the portal on April 30.
Alabama finished 28-9 overall and 13-5 in SEC play last season.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama, St. John's basketball finalizing non-conference series, report
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
USC men's basketball head coach Eric Musselman attends Dodgers game at Chavez Ravine
Eric Musselman has certainly made a name for himself as a basketball coach. That said, hoops is not the only sport he loves. Musselman is also a big baseball fan, and has attended numerous games throughout Southern California since taking the USC head coaching job. Last Tuesday, Musselman was in attendance for the Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Diego Padres game at Dodger Stadium. Prior to the game, Musselman chatted on the field with Padres manager Mike Shildt and Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell. 'Date night at Dodger Stadium,' Musselman wrote on social media, accompanied by a photo of himself and his family on the field. Musselman grew up in San Diego and attended the University of San Diego, so he grew up a Padres fan. Unfortunately for him, however, San Diego came up short in this one, as the Dodgers won 8-6. Eric Musselman witnessed one of the best matchups in Major League Baseball in 2025. Hopefully this helps him sell a vision of excellence to his 2025-2026 USC team, which will be expected to reach the NCAA Tournament and raise the bar for the Trojan hoops program.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Michigan fans: How do you feel about the Wolverines in 2025? Take our Michigan survey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At this time last year, Michigan fans were still riding the high of a national championship while working through their feelings about Jim Harbaugh's departure. Heading into the 2025 season, the focus is squarely on the future. Signing five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood created a mix of optimism and urgency for Sherrone Moore as he enters his second season. The excitement is palpable, but so is the pressure. Fans were willing to forgive a down season in 2024, especially when it ended up with upsets of Ohio State and Alabama, but they might not be as patient if Michigan falters out of the gate in 2025. Advertisement With that in mind, it's time for The Athletic's sixth annual Michigan survey, which gives fans an opportunity to weigh in about pressing topics related to the program. Submit your answers by the end of the week and look for a full breakdown of the results next week. Read the results of last year's survey here. (NOTE: Readers who are using our app on an Android device may need to use two fingers to scroll through the survey. Still unable to get to the survey? Try this direct link.) Loading…
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
NBA draft: Here are the forwards to watch for, including Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey
Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey were the first two names mentioned last summer when it came to college basketball's top incoming freshmen. Now they're the headliners among forwards in the NBA draft. Flagg led Duke to the Final Four and became only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men's national player of the year. Bailey put up quality numbers at Rutgers, though in a losing season. Flagg and Bailey were ranked 1-2 in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN. Now Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick, while Bailey is a likely top-five prospect. Here's a look at the position entering Wednesday's first round. Strengths: The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Maine native has a versatile all-around game far more advanced than his age, with room to develop as he turns 19 in December. He led Duke in scoring (19.2), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4). He shot 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% from the line. He proved he can thrive as a scorer, such as when he had an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman-record 42 points against Notre Dame. That included ranking in the 85th percentile or better in converting as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls, on post-ups and in transition, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. He also thrived as a playmaker, while his length allows him to alter shots, get into passing lanes and finish at the rim — sometimes over a defender. And then there's his competitive edge, with multiple examples of Flagg's willingness to take on big moments and receptiveness to firm coaching. That included coach Jon Scheyer lighting into Flagg during a first-half timeout in January for playing soft (in so many words) against N.C. State, then Flagg responding with 23 of his 28 points after halftime. NBA mock draft: Guards — including Illinois' Kasparas Jakučionis — could be big in Round 1Flagg also went for 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as Duke held off Arizona in a shootout win in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, a performance Scheyer called 'one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of.' Concerns: Not many. He can always get stronger, though he checked in at the combine 16 pounds heavier than his listed weight at Duke (205). He could also cut down on turnovers considering he had 15 games with at least three, though only two came after Feb. 1. Strengths: The 6-8, 203-pound Bailey is a versatile shotmaker with athleticism. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds with stepback skills, a good midrange game and the ability to shoot off the dribble or on the catch. Notably, he ranked in Synergy's 94th percentile for contested catch-and-shoot looks (39 of 81, 48.1%). Bailey can attack the paint and stretch defenses with his range. He had five January games with at least four made 3s while shooting 34.6% from behind the arc on the season. The versatility and athleticism indicates defensive potential, too. He averaged 1.3 blocks and had six games with at least three blocks in Big Ten play. Concerns: Adding strength would help him against bumps and physical play by stronger defenders, such as improving on finishing just 42.1% of layups in the halfcourt at Rutgers. There's a streakiness in his shot, such as making 12 of 31 free throws (.387) over a six-game midseason stretch or 7 of 39 3-pointers (.179) after January. There's also the awkward question of Bailey's impact beyond stats considering the Scarlet Knights had a losing record despite Bailey teaming with another one-and-done prospect in likely No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Strengths: The 6-7, 217-pound Knueppel was an efficient wing scorer with size and defense-stretching range. The freshman lottery prospect made 40.6% of his 3s and ranked in Synergy's 98th percentile when it came to overall spot-up shooting (52.9%), with nearly three-quarters of those attempts coming from behind the arc. He also ranked sixth in Division I by shooting 91.4% at the foul line, and stood out as ACC Tournament MVP when Flagg was sidelined by injury. And Knueppel had 10 games with at least four assists as a secondary playmaker. Concerns: Knueppel isn't an elite athlete, so there's a question of matching up against quicker or more explosive opponents. Strengths: The sophomore lottery prospect has a strong 6-7, 240-pound frame and a nearly 7-1 wingspan. He thrived in the halfcourt (shooting 57.9% to rank in Synergy's 88th percentile), and has contributed as a scorer (16.8) and rebounder (8.3). He also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, indicating the potential for him to defend multiple positions. Concerns: His shooting touch is a major question after he went 0 for 5 from 3-point range as a freshman, then just 9 for 34 (.265) as a sophomore. He also made just 69.5% of his free throws in two college seasons. There's also the risk of being the 'tweener' who is too slow to guard outside and too small to defend in the paint. Carter Bryant: Arizona's 6-7, 215-pound freshman reserve shot 37.1% on 3s and a block per game despite playing just 19 minutes a night. Throw in a 39.5-inch max vertical leap, and he's a possible lottery pick. Noa Essengue: The lanky 6-9, 194-pound Frenchman is a potential late lottery pick. Essengue, who turns 19 in December, has been honing his versatile skillset with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. Liam McNeeley: The freshman jumped right in as a starter for two-time reigning national champion UConn. He's a first-round prospect as a floor-stretching wing with size (6-7, 215) and shotmaking ability, highlighted by him going for 38 points against then-No. 24 Creighton and 22 points in the NCAA Tournament against eventual champion Florida. Will Riley: Illinois' 6-8 freshman from Canada is a first-round prospect with the potential to play as a guard or as a wing forward. He showed potential as a scorer and passer at Illinois, though he needs to develop physically with a 186-pound frame. Hugo Gonzalez: The 6-6, 205-pound Gonzalez is a late first-round prospect who played this season with Real Madrid in his home Spain. The 19-year-old offers potential with perimeter size, shooting range and ability to attack off the dribble and perimeter size.
