re: Tide Hoops | Recruiting

For those who plan ahead - schedule teaser. Opening with Kentucky at home:

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Opening weekend SEC Men's Hoops games just announced on #SECThisMorning

January 3, 2026
@KentuckyMBB @ @AlabamaMBB
@Vol_Hoops @ @RazorbackMBB
@GatorsMBK @ @MizzouHoops

Per @GarthGlissman

Full schedule out later today....

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5 of the 9 home conference games are on a Saturday

Tuscaloosa/season ticket games:
• Monday, Nov 3rd – North Dakota
• Thursday, Nov 13th – Purdue
• Tues/Wed, Dec 2nd/3rd – Clemson
• Sunday, Dec 7th – UTSA
• Wednesday, Dec 17th – S Florida
• Monday, Dec 29th – Yale
• Saturday, Jan 3rd – Kentucky
• Saturday, Jan 10th – Texas
• Saturday, Jan 24th – Tennessee
• Tue/Wed, Jan 27th/28th – Missouri
• Tuesday, Feb 3rd – Aggie
• Saturday, Feb 14th – S. Carolina
• Tue/Wed, Feb 17th/18th – Arkansas
• Tue/Wed, Feb 24th/25th – Miss State
• Saturday, March 7th - Auburn

I doubt there's ever been a better Tuscaloosa schedule. 10 of the 15 in the current bracketology in the pre-season.

Some intriguing coaches coming to town too. Cal with the Hogs, Bucky with the Aggies, Hodgson with S Fla, Miller with Texas, then you have the #1 preseason team in Purdue, the ACC/SEC challenge with Clemson and the rivals Aub, Ark, Tenn, MSU. Good stuff. Oh yea and Kentucky who has lost 4 of 5 to the Tide.

my parents just ran into Oats on a flight to Dallas. No idea if that was just a layover or final destination though.

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Pairings are based on team's last year conference record. If we want a better game we need to finish higher in the SEC.

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As much as I think that SHOULD be the way it's done, that's not the way it's done.

In fairness to Clemson though, they did go 18-2 in conference last year.

Just a reminder, we've averaged close to 26 wins/year the last 5 years.

Nate f'n Oats!

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5-star SG Caleb Holt
Caleb Holt, originally from Huntsville, Alabama, announced this summer he will be playing his senior year of high school at Fort Lauderdale (FL) Prolific Prep. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard took an early official visit to Ole Miss. He has announced upcoming trips to Kentucky, Alabama, and Auburn. Through most of his recruitment, Alabama and Auburn, his two home-state schools, have carried a lot of the buzz. I am told that both programs prioritized him early and continue to do so. Around his time of setting the Kentucky visit, the Wildcats started to pick up a little buzz as well, but at this point in the process, as we approach visit season, sources are still talking to me about Alabama and Auburn.

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Prediction: Alabama
Confidence Level: 40%
Biggest Threat: Auburn, Kentucky

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Here's another one...

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5-star PG Dylan Mingo
Dylan Mingo has remained Rivals’ No. 1 overall point guard in the class through all eight of the 2026 updates. The 6-foot-5 rising senior who currently sits at No. 3 overall in the class took his first official visit this past weekend. Washington got the trip. Things have remained relatively quiet around Mingo’s recruitment as he has not put out a list of schools or publicly or announced any other visits.

Along with Washington, some schools I am hearing involved with Long Island (NY) Lutheran point guard are Baylor, Oklahoma, UConn, Penn State (where his brother Kayden Mingo is a freshman), Virginia, Alabama, and UNC. Things are pretty open at this point, and it will be worth watching the trend of his visits. Speaking with sources around the recruitment, it sounds like the goal is to commit late in the process, but during the early signing period.

Prediction: Baylor or UConn
Confidence Level: 20%
Biggest Threat: Alabama, Penn State, the field

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That's the only 2 where we're mentioned .

Oats!

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got me curious so decided to look up average wins plus sos over the past 5 seasons and this is what i found

bama- 25.8 - 9.6
auburn- 24.2 - 33.2 lol
houston- 32 - 58.4
duke- 26.8 - 51.4
uconn- 26 - 39.8
zaga- 28.6 - 75.2
purdue- 26.8 - 18.4
kansas- 25.4 - 8.8
tenn- 25.4 - 24.2
zona- 25.8 - 40.8


not too shabby

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Another interesting side note. I think one could make a reasonable argument that Kelvin Sampson is right near the top of best coaches in college basketball. I think Hurley would have to get the 1 spot, but Sampson is close to being a 1B just based on resurrecting dead programs and turning them into powerhouses. Taking a marginal OU program to an elite 8 run and a final four run. Two final four appearances at Houston and a National Title appearance. Sure he has a history of cheating a little

One could also make a reasonable argument that Nate has beaten his 3 best teams

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With the sole exception of the kid who stayed behind to help clean up, I've had zero respect for that program ever since they decided to show their asses and throw literal garbage on our court. If you want to behave like that in your own building that's your business, but doing it on the road is totally unacceptable.

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I have zero respect for Dan Hurley, but he is still probably the best coach in the game. Houston definitely showed their a$$es in that game and I don't think anyone doubts that Sampson is a mercenary. Still would say Jamal Shead kind of became a historic figure that day. He still has Alabama fans that root for him on x (I have followed his career path since that game). I think the thing that pissed me off the most about that scenario was that 3 Houston assistant coaches stood next to Shead and watched him cleaning up all the trash, completely oblivious to helping him.