C.M. Newton was one of the SEC's most underrated coaches in any sport

*** for the TL/DR crowd, exit this thread NOW ***

What he did at Alabama in the 1970's was remarkable. Alabama had had a decent program prior to his first season but nothing out of the ordinary. Only 4 SEC teams not named Kentucky had ever played in the NCAA Tournament before his arrival so a lot of other teams were in the same boat. And really, only Tennessee and Vanderbilt -- at the time-- were providing the necessary resources to challenge Kentucky and elevate the sport.

Unfortunately for Newton and "history" his greatest seasons were in an era where initially only one team from a conference could go to the NCAA Tournament and there was lack of exposure. So quick glance at a record book will show a "good career" but not a lot of post season noise. While correct, its a little misleading.

Through the 1974 season only one team from a conference could go to the NCAA tournament. It was expanded in 1975 to two, but not increased to 3 until 1980,Newton's final season at Alabama.Through 1974 the NIT could select two from a conference,but with ALL games in New York and only 16 teams a 15-11 Manhattan was going to get selected over an 18-8 Alabama,which happened in 1972.That '72 team was his first winning season and may a late season run for the title with back to back sold out home wins over eventual co-champs Tennessee and Kentucky.

His '72-73 team went 13-5 and finished tied for 2nd and went to post season for the first time finishing in the NIT Final Four losing to eventual champion Virginia Tech and future Tennessee coach Don DeVoe. (Auburn's Sonny Smith was his top assistant)

His teams won a share of the SEC Title in 1974 and 1975 and won it outright in 1976. The 1974 was truly a victim of bad timing and hard to imagine rules today.The regionals at the time were truly "regional" and schools could bid on and host NCAA regional games --as champion NC State did that year in Raleigh. The 1974 Mideast Regional was in Tuscaloosa that season.Alabama had a tremendous team going 22-4 and 15-3 in the SEC. They were ranked as high as 6th at times during the season. Unfortunately for Alabama they tied Vandy at 15-3 and the Commodores won both games, 73-72 and 67-65.

As host school of an NCAA Tournament event,this meant the Tide couldn't participate in the NIT (nor the short lived CCA Tourney which started that season). The reasoning really made no sense,other than some petty riff at the NIT. Neither TR Dunn nor Leon Douglas were official tour guides for Vandy or Marquette. So a conference co-champ with a 22-4 record ,not a hint of scandal or probation had to sit home for the tourney.

Ironically had the outright 1976 SEC Champs been "co-champs" they may have made the Final Four.This was the year of the great Indiana team that remains the last unbeaten champion. With no seeding and true regionals, Alabama as SEC Champ met Big 10 Champ Indiana in the Mideast Regional Semifinal (Sweet 16) where Indiana pulled away to a 74-69 win.

1976 was three years before the renewal of the SEC Tournament and the second year of NCAA Tournament "expansion" where an additional team was eligible as an 'at large' team. Alabama,Tennessee and Vanderbilt battled for the SEC Title all year. Vandy fell apart in the next to last weekend so it was 'Bama and UT. Alabama lost to a hot Kentucky team in their last trip to Memorial Coliseum in Lexington (UK went on to win the NIT)so the SEC Title came down to the Alabama-Vanderbilt game in Nashville.

Tennessee had completed its SEC season and was 14-4. Alabama was 14-3, so an Alabama win would give them the outright title. But a Vandy win would make Alabama and Tennessee co-champs. The two split their games in the regular season (round-robin from 1967-1991). After considering a one game playoff in the event of a tie, the SEC decided that since both teams would receive an NCAA bid, a coin flip would decide the designated SEC representative whom would play in the Mideast Regional. Oddly enough the loser of the coin flip would go to the much weaker East Regional.

Alabama led at halftime, but Vandy's famed F-Troop went out in style and led most of the second half.When Butch Feher drove past Leon Douglas for a layup to go up 68-66 with :06 it looked bleak for Alabama and good for the Vols.Anthony Murray brought the ball up looked,passed to TR Dunn. Dunn shot and missed but the ball bounced right back to him. His shot with no time left went through and there was overtime. There was no replay then and slo-motion replay on the delayed telecast indicated Dunn's second shot left his hand a split second after the horn. But after huddling for a minute, the refs confirmed the basket and Alabama dominated overtime winning, 84-77 for their first outright SEC Title since 1956.

So it was on to the Mideast and North Carolina and then Indiana--and with an upset of IU, #2 ranked Marquette. The reason ACC regular season champ North Carolina was in the Mideast was because of a stunning upset loss to Virginia. So, had Dunn's shot been waved off AND Tennessee had won the coin flip, Alabama would have been shipped to the East along with VMI,Hofstra,DePaul,Rutgers and UConn--- years before UConn became a power.While Rutgers themselves was unbeaten, its highly likely Alabama would have beaten them. A missed shot and coin toss would have probably have sent Alabama to the Final Four.

God bless Coach Newton.