Alabama and Auburn have both reached the Sweet 16 of March Madness, a rarity in the history of the two programs.

It’s just the third time both have made it to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, and the first time in nearly four decades. The last time it happened was 1986, and it also occurred in 1985.

The 1986 Auburn team — coached by Sonny Smith — actually reached the Elite Eight as a No. 8 seed, winning three straight NCAA tournament games over Arizona, St. John’s and UNLV. The Chuck Person-led Tigers fell one game short of the Final Four, losing to eventual national champion Louisville in Houston to end its season at 22-11.

That same 1986 season, coach Wimp Sanderson and No. 5 seed Alabama beat Xavier and Illinois in the NCAA tournament to secure what would be the second of three straight Sweet 16 appearances. The Crimson Tide’s season ended at 24-9 with a loss to Kentucky in Atlanta.

In 1985, Auburn won the SEC tournament as the No. 8 seed — beating Alabama in overtime in the championship game — then reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament as an 11-seed. Again coached by Smith and led by Person, the Tigers beat Purdue and Kansas before falling to No. 2 seed North Carolina in Birmingham to finish 22-12.

Alabama that season was a No. 7 seed for March Madness, beating Arizona and then second-seeded Virginia Commonwealth to reach the Sweet 16. Sanderson and the Crimson Tide finished the year 23-10, falling to third-seeded North Carolina State in Denver.

On two other occasions, two teams from the state of Alabama reached the Sweet 16. Both times it was Alabama and UAB.

First, in 1982, Sun Belt champion UAB beat defending national champion Indiana and Virginia before falling to Louisville in Birmingham. SEC tournament champion Alabama had a first-round bye, then beat St. John’s before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina in Raleigh.

In 2004, Alabama beat Southern Illinois, Stanford and Syracuse to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history before falling to eventual national champion Connecticut in Phoenix. UAB beat Washington and Kentucky before losing to Kansas in St. Louis.