The best-performing Alabama team in NCAA Tournament history was back in Coleman Coliseum on Saturday.

During halftime of UA’s game against Texas A&M, the 2003-04 Tide men’s basketball team was honored on the 20th anniversary of its run to the Elite 8.

Most of the roster and coaching staff, including former coach Mark Gottfried and captain Antoine Pettway, made their way to the baseline nearest the Tide bench and watched a highlight video recapping its wins over Southern Illinois, Stanford and defending champion Syracuse.

After receiving a warm ovation, each member present was introduced, the largest pop coming when Pettway’s name rang through the arena he made his name as a player and eventually as a staffer and coach for nine seasons. The group then posed for a photo at mid-court, swapping stories and laughs as they walked through the tunnel.

The squad, which featured all-SEC second-team selection Kennedy Winson and all-freshman team forward Jemareo Davidson, eventually finished with a 20-13 record. UA lost to Connecticut, who’d go on to win the Tournament, in the Phoneix Regional. They are the last, and only, team in program history to reach the quarterfinals of March Madness.

The 2024 Alabama program debuted throwback uniforms for the game, a white alternate look with the ‘block A’ logo on the shorts and ‘CRIMSON TIDE’ on the top.

“They’ve got a great tradition around here. They’ve won a lot of games,” head coach Nate Oats said on Friday. “…It’s nice to honor the past.

“The uniforms look great. It’s kind of nice to have an alternate uniform to play in. I think the guys are excited about them.”

The Crimson Tide found out shortly before the ceremony that it is currently a No. 3 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament during the selection committee’s bracket preview.

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