Alabama Finishes No. 5 in Final Coaches Poll

The college basketball season concluded on Monday night, culminating with a Baylor Bears winning the NCAA Tournament. The Bears took down undefeated Gonzaga in the final to win its first national championship as a school. The final Ferris Mowers Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll was released upon the conclusion of the tournament.

The Alabama Crimson Tide finished No. 5 in the nation in the final edition of the coaches poll. Alabama went 26-7 this season and was the SEC's highest representative finishing one place above N. 6 Arkansas.

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The Crimson Tide finish one spot outside of the final four despite losing in the Sweet 16 88-78 to underdog UCLA in overtime. The Bruins went on to defeat top seeded Michigan to earn a place in the Final 4. Michigan finished No. 4 in the final coaches poll while the UCLA Bruins finished No. 7.

The Crimson Tide can take this top five ranking into the offseason and look to continue to build off the momentum that Oats has built. Alabama won the SEC regular season for the first time since 2002 and the tournament championship for the first time since 1991.

Oats currently has a premiere recruiting class lined up to land in Tuscaloosa. After the recent commitment of 6-foot-11 center Charles Bediako the Crimson Tide has the No. 3 recruiting class in the 2021 cycle.

The strong finish combined with the strong incoming recruiting class puts expectations sky-high for Oats next season, the Washington Post named the Tide its "too early" No. 1 team in 2021. Several other outlets have Alabama scattered throughout its top 15 for next season.