Basic Information
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Type of School: Public
Mascot: Big Al (The Elephant)
Purdue Game Date: November 13th, 2025
Purdue Game Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
2024-’25 Season: 28-9 (13-5 in SEC play)
2024 - ‘25 NCAA Tournament: #2 Seed - Lost to Duke in Regional Final
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide mascot “Big Al” performs in the first half against the Robert Morris Colonials during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide mascot “Big Al” performs in the first half against the Robert Morris Colonials during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Head Coach - Nate Oats
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Head coach Nate Oats of the Alabama Crimson Tide answers questions during a media session at State Farm Stadium on April 05, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Head coach Nate Oats of the Alabama Crimson Tide answers questions during a media session at State Farm Stadium on April 05, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Seasons at Alabama: 7
Alabama Record: 145-63
Career Record: 241-106
Regular Season Conference Championships: 4 (Buffalo 2, Alabama 2)
Conference Tournament Championships: 5 (Buffalo 3, Alabama 2)
NCAA Appearances: 9
Final 4 Appearances: 1
Key Losses From 2024-’25
### Position ### Number ### Player ### Class ### Height ### Weight ### Minutes ### Points ### Rebounds ### Assists
Shooting Guard 1 Mark Sears Sr. 6’1” 190 32 19 3 5
Center 11 Clifford Omoruyi Sr. 6’11” 250 19 8 7 1
Power Forward 2 Grant Nelson Sr. 6’11” 230 25 12 8 2
Wing/Forward 10 Mouhamed Dioubate So. 6’7” 215 16 7 6 1
Forward 15 Jarin Stevenson So. 6’11” 215 19 5 3 1
Wing 35 Derrion Reid Fr. 6’8” 220 14 6 3 1
Oct 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Mark Sears (19) looks on after scoring a basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Mark Sears (19) looks on after scoring a basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Key Returning Players from 2024-’25
### Position ### Number ### Player ### Class ### Height ### Weight ### Minutes ### Points ### Rebounds ### Assists
Point Guard 0 Labaron Philon So. 6’4” 185 25 11 3 4
Small Forward 3 Latrell Wrightsell Gr. 6’3” 195 26 12 2 2
Shooting Guard 2 Aden Holloway Jr. 6’1” 180 21 11 2 2
Center 22 Aiden Sherrell So. 6’10” 255 9 3 3 0
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - NOVEMBER 15: Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon (0) drives past Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox (0) during a college basketball game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Purdue Boilermakers on November 15, 2024 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - NOVEMBER 15: Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon (0) drives past Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox (0) during a college basketball game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Purdue Boilermakers on November 15, 2024 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Key Portal Additions
### Position ### Number ### Player ### Class ### Height ### Weight ### Former Team ### On3 TR Rating ### Minutes ### Points ### Rebounds ### Assists
Forward 7 Taylor Bol Bowen Jr. 6’10” 202 Florida State 4*(95) 25 8 5 1
Center 15 Noah Williamson Sr. 7’0” 250 Bucknell 4*(95) 30 18 8 2
Guard 1 Jalil Bethea So. 6’5” 190 Miami 4*(94) 19 7 2 1
Forward 10 Keitenn Bristow So. 6’10” 205 Tarleton St. 4*(92) 26 11 4 1
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 17: Jared McCain #0 of the Duke Blue Devils goes to the basket against Noah Williamson #3 of the Bucknell Bison at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 17, 2023 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 90-60. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 17: Jared McCain #0 of the Duke Blue Devils goes to the basket against Noah Williamson #3 of the Bucknell Bison at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 17, 2023 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 90-60. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Key 2025 Recruits
### Position ### Number ### Player ### Height ### Weight ### Industry Recruiting Rating ### National Rank ### Posistion Rank
Power Forward 6 London Jemison 6’8” 205 4*(96) 32 7
Combo Guard 4 Davion Hannah 6’6” 190 4*(95) 48 5
Small Forward 5 Amari Allen 6’8” 205 4*(93) 74 17
Center 34 Collins Onyejiaka 6’11” 265 4*(91) 115 11
London Jemison
London Jemison
Alabama in a Nutshell
I’ll save the more in-depth stuff for the in-season preview, but needless to say, things will look a little different in Tuscaloosa without Mark Sears. That doesn’t mean Nate Oates is going to change Alabama’s perimeter-oriented attack through, and he’s got ample talent at every position to get the job done. This team lacks some depth and experience but has no shortage of athletes.
They’re going to spread the floor, put the ball in Philon’s hands, and see if he can get into the lane, collapse the defense, and kick out to open 40%+ shooters on the perimeter. Philon’s the type of long, rangy point guard that gave Purdue issues last season, as evidenced by his team-leading 18 points against the Boilermakers last season in addition to his four assists.
They’re going to have shooters 2-4 to space out the floor and use their 7’0”, 250-pound Bucknell transfer (by way of Latvia) Noah Williamson to set bone-rattling screens for Philon in the pick-and-roll or in the pick-and-pop (Williamson went 20-45 from deep in conference play last season). He’s not nearly the defender that Cliff Omoruyi was for them last year, but he’s exponentially more skilled on offense. I see him as Alabama’s Oscar Cluff, and I’m a big Oscar Cluff fan.
Purdue won the early-season matchup last season because they hit nine three-pointers on sixteen attempts. Bama also hit nine from deep, but it required twenty-nine offerings. The Crimson Tide doesn’t have the same national hype this year that they had last season, but they’re the type of long, athletic team that, in theory, can bother Braden Smith and company.
This will be a stern early-season road game for Matt Painter’s crew. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb in saying that if Purdue is going to drop a game in November, Alabama has the horses to get the job done, especially if they get hot from the outside at home. I’m interested in seeing how Purdue handles a team with an NBA-caliber point guard. They’re going to try to bully Purdue’s back court on both sides of the court and try to force Braden to play horizontally instead of vertically on offense.
The November 13th game against Alabama will give us our first taste of what I expect to be a historically good Purdue team. If things fall into place, I’ll be in Tuscaloosa for the game. Let me know if any of y’all are making the trip.