Bama Basketball Breakdown: Texas A&M

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY SportsAfter a huge week that saw the Alabama Crimson Tide (14-11, 6-6 SEC, NET: 36, Kenpom: 46) knock off the 25th-ranked LSU Tigers after nearly beating the 11th-ranked Auburn Tigers on the road, Nate Oats’ team is right back on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament. Just about every bracketologist out there has Alabama listed on their respective “First Four Out” lists. With a NET ranking of 36, the Tide would be in solidly as a 9-seed if that metric alone was used to create the field; however, that is certainly far from the case. Just ask N.C. State, who was left out of the field a year ago despite a NET ranking of 33. They were snubbed because of their laughably abysmal non-conference schedule that ranked 352nd out of 353 teams.

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