TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The time has come. Alabama's 2026-27 basketball season tips off on Tuesday evening against Sam Houston.
Nate Oats lost his very first game as Alabama 's head coach in 2019 against Penn, but has won the past six season openers. Six is the magic number, as it's also the number of consecutive preseasons that No. 20 Alabama has been ranked in the AP Top 25 .
UA's roster looks much different, with nine newcomers in Tuscaloosa. 12 of the 15 players are at least 6-foot-6, which should help in many areas that the Crimson Tide has struggled in for quite some time. Can Alabama start the year on a strong note against the Bearkats? Sam Houston head coach Chris Mudge and company finished last season 22-12, including a 13-7 record in Conference USA. It was the Bearkats' most wins since 2014-15 (26-9).
Here's all the info you need for Alabama's season opener.
Alabama is expected to be without Aden Holloway, who is suspended for the first two regular-season games, and Anderson Diaz, who suffered an elbow injury before the Furman exhibition. Cole Cloer, who missed the Auburn exhibition due to a lower body injury, will likely be available against the Bearkats.
"We're still a little banged up, we're not fully healthy," Oats said during Monday's press conference. "Anderson and Cole are probably the two that we're keeping an eye on most. They've both been having an increased workload in practice.
"Based on today (Monday), and obviously I'll have to get feedback from [Alabama trainer Clarke Holter] after they get treatment today and tomorrow morning, my guess would be Cole is probable for tomorrow. I would doubt that Anderson is ready to go yet. Clarke wants to make sure that his elbow is at full strength before we put him in there."
Additionally, Oats told 247Sports' Jon Rothstein that Jaxon Richardson will likely remain on a minutes restriction. He sat out the Furman and Ole Miss exhibitions while being limited against Auburn due to minor injuries and an illness.
Who:Sam Houston (0-0, 0-0 CUSA) at Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
When:Tuesday, Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m. CT
Where:Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
All-Time Series: The Crimson Tide and the Bearkats have only met once, back on Dec. 27, 1997, as Alabama won 77-58 in Oklahoma City.
Last Meeting: As stated above, Alabama won by 19 in the short history between these two programs. Brian Williams led the Crimson Tide that season in points per game with 16.1, while Demetrius Jones grabbed the most rebounds (8.3 per game) and Chauncey Jones dished the most assists (3.5).
TV:SECN+
Radio:Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Analyst: Bryan Passink, Sideline: Roger Hoover). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
SiriusXM: 230
Spread:Alabama -26.5
Over/Under:171.5 points
This will be updatedthroughout the game
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Can Alabama start fast in both halves? This was a major issue last season, especially coming out of the locker room for the second period. It played a role in some of the Tide's losses, including the final one against eventual national champion Michigan in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
Rebound. Rebound. Rebound. Adding all this size in the offseason helped a little during the exhibitions, but "rebounding still isn't fixed," according to Oats. Alabama should be all over the glass in the season opener and set the tone that rebounding won't be a negative narrative surrounding the team this season.
How will Amari Allen handle being the face of the Crimson Tide? The sophomore thrived in all three exhibitions, and he will need to continue improving to start the regular season. After withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft, he has expectations to be the program's top scoring option and playmaker. Oats said on Monday that he could've been a late first-round pick if he stayed in the draft pool, but now he has the opportunity to be a lottery pick (top-14) for 2027.
Alabama
G Amari Allen
G Qayden Samuels
F London Jemison
F Brandon Garrison
F Drew Fielder
Sam Houston
G Jacobe Coleman
G Justin Begg
G Aidan McDowell
F Enel St. Bernard
F Cheikh Ndiaye
2019-20 vs. Penn: L (81-80)
2020-21 vs. Jacksonville State: W (81-57)
2021-22 vs. Louisiana Tech: W (93-64)
2022-23 vs. Longwood: W (75-54)
2023-24 vs. Morehead State: W (105-73)
2024-25 vs. UNC Asheville: W (110-54)
2025-26 vs. North Dakota: W (91-62)
2026-27 vs. Sam Houston: ?
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Sam Houston at No. 20 Alabama Basketball: Game Central Rundown .
