As heads lowered and eyes blinked away tears in the Alabama men’s basketball locker room, a group of bandmates and cheerleaders from San Diego State chanted Aztecs’ head coach Brian Dutcher’s name through the underbelly of Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center.

While SDSU was in the middle of its first run to the Final Four in school history, a feat many predicted for Alabama, head coach Nate Oats told his team how proud he was of them. It was a great season, he said, and they were still a very good team. Still, that didn’t prevent grad-student Dom Welch from making stops at each locker and dapping up each teammate to end his college career. And it didn’t stop fifth-yeard guard Jahvon Quinerly from slipping one sock off at a time and then unlacing his Nike sneakers days before he announced a potential departure.

“(Oats) just told us how much he loves us, man,” Nick Pringle said of the team’s post-Sweet 16 locker room meeting. “It’s a family thing. Wasn’t mad at any of us. We just gotta play harder. It wasn’t our night tonight. We didn’t hit shots.

“I’ve grown a lot. Definitely starting in practice, that was one of the reasons I came here to surround myself around a lot of guys that I felt were better than me to grow as a person on the court and off the court. They really achieved that. I’m happy we made history here.”

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The group had been through a lot together. Though their bond was strengthened over the course of a historic and controversial season, playing time and opportunity are finite resources. Either by way of the transfer portal or the NBA Draft, the roster turnover of college basketball usually prevents a team with this much depth from running it back. Never mind that two key Oats assistants, Bryan Hodgson and Charlie Henry, have left for head coaching positions as well.

Since its run ended in the Sweet 16, four members of Alabama’s postseason lineup have decided to at least explore the potential of a pro career — Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney are first-round options with Charles Bediako and Jahvon Quinerly maintaining their collegiate eligibility should they want it. Another rotational guard has transferred out (Nimari Burnett) and an expected freshman (Grissom’s R.J. Johnson) has asked for a release from his commitment.

The system Oats implemented has led to two SEC tournament championships and 76 wins in the last three seasons. This run was sparked by fresh faces as more than 75% of the team’s points came from players new to Tuscaloosa. The five expected additions, at least as of early April, will try to bring them back next winter.

Miller reflected on their early summer practices throughout the final week of the season. He found a group of brothers with the Tide and was “leaning on teammates” as he was scrutinized publically for his role in the murder of Jamea Harris. The team eventually hired a security guard to protect Miiller throughout March Madness and the spotlight was only brightened after Miller shot 8-of-41 in three games.

“There’s nothing to say to him. I never blame anybody else on my team for a loss,” Clowney said after Miller scored nine points in 31 minutes against SDSU. “We lost together. Everybody on the coaching staff to every player we lost that shit together. Excuse my mouth.”

That was the mindset of this team. Burnett recognized the group coming together in June, bonding over a trip to Europe. Burnett started the opening nine games of the Tide’s season, but a wrist injury suffered in December bumped Burnett out of the starting lineup and he wasn’t able to find a consistent role upon his return. Though there were times were Burnett and Oats’ relationship wasn’t “super good,” Burnett was grateful for his connection with Oats, long known as a player’s coach.

Oats’ desired play style should be similar in 2023-24. Davin Cosby, who redshirted this postseason run after enrolling early, and Wichita State transfer Jaykwon Walton should provide more consistent 3-point shooting from the guard position. Incoming freshmen Sam Walters and Mouhamed Dioubate should be able to space the floor offensively and use their size on defense. But at least for now, the promise of next season doesn’t lessen the disappointment some have.

“I think they’re mixed for everybody right now,” forward Noah Gurley said of the team’s emotions after the loss on March 24. “Probably different for an older guy like me. My college career just ended but younger guys have a lot of years ahead of them. It’s mixed in the room right now but we all feel for each other.”

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