Where Alabama basketball ranks in ESPN's latest bracketology

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during a practice session in preparation for an East Regional semifinal game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Prudential Center.

Photo | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesNext years March Madness is on the distant horizon, but the college basketball projections never sleep.

After previously projecting Alabama as a No.

6 seed and a No.

8 seed in his first two projected brackets for the 2025-26 season, ESPN's Joe Lunardi now has the Crimson Tide as a No.

5 seed in his latest bracketology update released Tuesday.

Lunardis current projection has Alabama paired up against No.

12 seed Grand Canyon in the West Regional.

The projected matchup would take place in San Diego and serve as a rematch of the 2024 NCAA Tournament meeting between the two programs, where Alabama pulled out a 72-61 victory to advance to the Sweet 16 en route to making its first-ever Final Four.

In Lunardis projection, the winner of Alabama vs.

Grand Canyon would face the winner of the matchup between No.

4 seed UCLA and No.

13 seed UC Santa Barbara.

Duke is Lunardis projected No.

1 seed in the West.

Lunardis projection includes 14 SEC teams.

He has the defending champion Florida Gators as his top overall seed in the East Region.

Other SEC teams in the projection include Tennessee (No.

2 seed, West), Kentucky (No.

3 seed, Midwest), Auburn (No.

4 seed, South), Alabama (No.

5 seed West), Arkansas (No.

5 seed, Midwest), Missouri (No.

7 seed, East), Vanderbilt (No.

8 seed, West), Mississippi State (No.

8 seed, Midwest), Oklahoma (No.

8 seed, South), Texas (No.

9 seed, East), Ole Miss (No.

10 seed, West), Georgia (No.

10 seed, South) and Texas A&M (No.

11 seed, Midwest as a play-in).

Alabama posted a 28-9 record last season, finishing third in the SEC before advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, where it fell to Duke.

The Tide returns five players from last years roster, including starting guard Labaron Philon as well as key backups in guard Aden Holloway and center Aiden Sherrell.

Graduate guards Latrell Wrightsell Jr.

and Houston Mallette will also be back after missing most of last season due to their respective injuries.

Alabama brought in four college transfers, adding guard Jalil Bethea (Miami), forwards Taylor Bol Bowen (Florida State) and Keitenn Bristow (Tarleton State) and center Noah Williamson (Bucknell).

The Tide also signed a four-man recruiting class featuring guard Davion Hannah, forwards Amari Allen, London Jemison and reclassified center Collins Onyejiaka..

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