Alabama Basketball's Tough Six-Game Stretch in SEC Play: Just a Minute

Watch the above video as BamaCentral staff writer Hunter De Siver discusses a brutal six-game stretch for Alabama basketball following the release of the 2025-26 SEC schedule.

Alabama men's basketball learned its SEC schedule for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday morning.

The conference as a whole made history throughout last season, including wins in 14 of the 16 games in the SEC/ACC Challenge and a record 14 teams making the NCAA Tournament.

Alabama finished third in the conference standings with a 13-5 record against the SEC. However, the Crimson Tide will have a six-game stretch in the middle of SEC play this upcoming season that features all five conference opponents that Alabama fell to in 2025.

Of course, head coach Nate Oats' program and every other team that Alabama will face this upcoming season had some roster turnover, but these six consecutive games over a nearly three-week span should still be circled on the calendar due to last year's results.

The first game of the stretch will be at home against Tennessee on January 24, 2026. The Tide lost 79-76 on the road last season following a deep buzzer-beating three-pointer by guard Jahmai Mashack. The Volunteers have won each of the last four matchups in this rivalry, and Alabama must find a way to end the streak in Coleman Coliseum.

The second game is at home against Missouri on either January 27 or 28. The Crimson Tide fell to Missouri 110-98 on the road this past February. It was the Tigers' most points in an SEC game in program history and Oats even received a technical as he murdered his clipboard. Alabama's defense can't allow any more momentum on its home floor.

Alabama made it very clear throughout the last two seasons that it could hang with and beat some of the best teams in the country, but there is no doubt that Florida has been the Crimson Tide's kryptonite over the last two years. The reigning national champions have won the last four matchups, the most recent being Alabama's Senior Day and the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. Can Alabama finally snap the streak on January 31 in Gainesville?

The fourth game of the slate comes at home on February 3 against Texas A&M. Alabama outlasted the Aggies 94-88 this past January. Although the Crimson Tide won, former Samford head coach Bucky McMillan took the Texas A&M job following Buzz Williams' departure to Maryland. Alabama has come out on top in the last three meetings, and a new head coach could alter the streak.

The first iteration of the 2026 Iron Bowl of Basketball comes next on February 7 at Auburn. The rivals split last year's series with both wins coming on the road, including a game-winning buzzer-beating floater by former Alabama guard Mark Sears in Auburn's final home game of the regular season. All four of the games mentioned above will already be a challenge, and the Tide will need all the momentum they can get in The Jungle.

The final contest of the six-game gauntlet comes against Ole Miss, whom Alabama fell to 74-64 last season in a game that Oats dubbed "disgusting." It was filled with lows, including the Tide's first SEC loss of the season and its least amount of points scored in nearly two years. Don't be surprised if Oats has last year's results in mind during the couple of practices leading up to the game on February 10 or 11.

How many of these games will Alabama win?