Alabama men’s basketball is a bit of an unknown commodity ahead of the 2023-24 season. As is becoming more common across college basketball, teams are being forced to restock rosters each year due to the transfer portal and growth of the NBA G-League. On top of that, the Tide needed to replace three assistant coaches.

Nate Oats was able to maximize his roster and opportunities last season. The Crimson Tide competed against the nation’s elite and earned the NCAA Tournament overall No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. The latest transfers and promising freshmen should make for an interesting winter in Coleman Coliseum.

As of the Associated Press Top 25 poll, No. 24 Alabama (1-0) will play nine games against ranked opponents, including four top-10 teams. Here are five key games to circle on the calendar:

Arguably the best game on Alabama’s schedule will be an international matchup against the third-ranked Boilermakers. Another program that had lofty March Madness dreams dashed too soon, No. 3 Purdue returns the most dominant player in college, 7-foot-4 Zach Edey (22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds per game in 2022), as well as guard Fletcher Jones (11.0 ppg).

Purdue’s size should allow fans to see how the Tide’s frontcourt rotation is coming along. North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson’s 6-foot-10 frame isn’t as bulky as Edey’s, but the two are poised to go at it near the rim. Second-year player Nick Pringle is also expected to step up after Noah Clowney developed into a first-round draft pick. Reclassified freshman Jarin Stevenson should also factor inside.

Before SEC play gives Alabama a handful of hostile crowd environments, a trip to Omaha is an opportunity for a marquee road win early in the season. Behind the defense and shooting ability of Ryan Kalkbrenner and Trey Alexander, the No. 8 Bluejays should present a good matchup against Oats’ fast-paced, physical system.

There’s an expected intensity for rivalry games, but both fanbases in Auburn and Tuscaloosa delivered engaging college football atmospheres. Alabama won both, including one in overtime, by a combined 13 points. Auburn has veteran pieces who will remember that game while hoping its own five-star newcomers can make an impact.

A battle between guards Auburn’s Aden Holloway and Denver Jones against the Tide’s pairing of Mark Sears-Aaron Estrada could be a deciding factor. But overall, expect chaos in the Iron Bowl.

A nationally televised game, the Tide will be back in Rupp Arena for the first time since 2022, when an upset of the then fourth-ranked Wildcats fell short. No. 16 Kentucky has one of the best freshmen classes in the country and it’ll be interesting to see how the Tide handles forward and five-star Justin Edwards on the wing.

Kentucky and Tennessee are the biggest challenges to Alabama defending its dual SEC crowns. The meeting in Lexington could be a determining factor in SEC tournament seeding and a chance for a statement on a grand stage.

March 2 – vs. Tennessee

The highest-rated SEC team entering the preseason, No. 9 Tennessee returns most of its rotation. The Volunteers were one of two conference opponents that actually beat the Tide last year (Texas A&M). And with the addition of scorer and Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht (20.2 ppg), Rick Barnes’ squad has the makeup of a deep tournament team.

Mark this as another key game for Alabama’s bigs, as the Vols may encounter some size issues with a guard-dominant roster. It’ll be the second meeting of the season after a January matchup in Knoxville.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].