Alabama dealing with familiar problem heading into NCAA Tournament

The Tide are no strangers to off-court controversy. Forward Darius Miles was removed from the team following the January 2023 shooting death of Jamea Harris. He was charged with capital murder, and his case is currently tied up in the courts. A co-conspirator, Michael Davis, was found guilty of the same charge in May 2025 and sentenced to life in prison.

Forward Brandon Miller, later selected by the Charlotte Hornets, was linked to the crime as having driven the firearm used in the act to the crime scene but faced no criminal charges. He also faced no disciplinary action from the basketball program.

That tragic case, which included Oats brushing off criticism of Miller as the young forward simply being in the "wrong spot at the wrong time," revealed the lengths Alabama's basketball program will go to cover for its own as long as it benefits.

The Tide's chances of a deep March run would certainly be better with Holloway in the rotation. He's a key player on the country's top-scoring team. Alabama averaged 91.7 points per game and is third in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency.

It received a four-seed on Selection Sunday and will play the Hofstra Pride, coached by former NBA guard Speedy Claxton, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Per KenPom, Hofstra ranks 10th in Division I in defensive effective field goal rate (45.9 percent). The Pride have power conference wins over the Pittsburgh Panthers (13-20, 5-13 in ACC) and Syracuse Orange (15-17, 6-12 in ACC) while losing a close one to 10-seed UCF Knights (21-11, 9-9 in Big 12) in both teams' season opener, 82-78.

Their odds of pulling off an upset will improve if Holloway doesn't play. But based on past precedent, we expect Alabama to do anything in its power for that not to be the case.