Alabama’s ‘complicated’ season ends in Sweet 16 defeat

CHICAGO — Alabama players sat teary-eyed at their lockers Friday night at the United Center, still processing a season with plenty of twists before reaching its endpoint against Michigan in the Sweet 16.

The No. 4 seed Crimson Tide started their 14th different lineup against No. 1 seed Michigan, one that had carried them to two dominant wins in the NCAA tournament but ultimately wouldn’t measure up in a 90-77 loss. Alabama’s starters could have included center Charles Bediako and guard Aden Holloway, who both contributed during the season but are no longer with the team, albeit for very different reasons.

“We would not have gotten outrebounded by 13 tonight had we been able to continue to play [Bediako],” coach Nate Oats said.

Michigan held a 46-32 edge in rebounds and finished with 34 points in the paint, while the Tide had 20. Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell, a forward who had to play some center without another sizable low-post presence, acknowledged the season contained “some complicated things.”

“But as a team, we did a great job fighting all the adversity and keeping it between us,” he said.

Oats praised the group as one of the most enjoyable he has had, noting that the team’s leadership was the best he has seen in seven seasons at Alabama. The coach noted all the lineups Alabama used, and added that he “couldn’t be more proud of the group.”

The Tide played their third straight game without Holloway, their second-leading scorer (16.8 points per game) and a third-team All-SEC selection, who was arrested on a felony drug charge earlier this month. An Alabama judge granted Holloway’s request to travel Friday, but he did not join the team and remained banned from all school-related activities. Police found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in Holloway’s apartment after they executed a search warrant in Tuscaloosa.

Bediako’s absence was felt more in the Michigan loss, even though he last played for Alabama on Feb. 7 against Auburn. The 7-footer left Alabama for the NBA draft in 2023, signed a two-way NBA contract and played the past three seasons in the G League. He returned to play five games for the Tide and averaged 10 points and 4.6 rebounds while navigating the courts, but ultimately had a motion for a preliminary injunction denied by a state judge in February, ending his college career.

After Saturday’s loss, Oats referenced the case of Baylor center James Nnaji, another former NBA draft pick who never played in the league. Nnaji was cleared to play on Christmas Eve.

“We saw the opportunity to bring some size on after all the adversity we went through, after Nnaji was declared eligible, and most people, including ourselves, thought if they’re going to make Nnaji eligible, that Bediako would be eligible,” Oats said. “We had one judge who thought so. He would’ve definitely helped the situation with the rebounding.”

Guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and others said players have often talked about everything that transpired during the season, which is why they will never forget the 2025-26 team.

“We stayed together, we played for each other, we built off of continuous growth, selfless love and maximum effort,” Sherrell said. “We just stuck through this to those core values, and we went this far.”