# 1997–98 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team

The 1997–98 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama in the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was David Hobbs, who was in his sixth, and final season at Alabama. The team played their home games at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of 15–16, with a conference record of 6–10, which placed them in fourth place in the SEC Western Division.
The Tide defeated Vanderbilt in the first round of the 1997 SEC men's basketball tournament, but lost to Kentucky in the quarterfinal. The Tide did not an invite to a postseason tournament, meaning the Tide had missed the postseason for a second consecutive season.
Following the season, head coach David Hobbs resigned from his position, finishing with a 110–76 (59.4%) career record and producing nine All-SEC players. As his replacement, Murray State head coach Mark Gottfried was hired on March 25, 1998.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| Nov 18, 1997* | North Texas | W 81–61 | 1–0 | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Nov 22, 1997* | at Minnesota | W 64–63 | 2–0 | Williams Arena Minneapolis, MN |
| Nov 24, 1997* | Jacksonville State | W 105–72 | 3–0 | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Nov 27, 1997* | vs. Georgia Tech Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | L 60–62 | 3–1 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Nov 28, 1997* | vs. American–Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | L 79–88 | 3–2 | Caguas Municipal Complex Caguas, Puerto Rico |
| Dec 5, 1996* | vs. Wichita State Puerto Rico Holiday Classic | W 60–58 | 4–2 | Eugene Guerra Sports Complex San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Dec 3, 1997* | Texas A&M | W 81–64 | 5–2 | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Dec 6, 1997* | at Boston University | W 61–53 | 6–2 | Case Gym Boston, MA |
| Dec 13, 1997* | FIU | L 66–68 | 6–3 | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Dec 20, 1997* | vs. Tulane Arby's Holiday Hardwood Classic | L 71–76 $^{OT}$ | 6–4 | UAB Arena Birmingham, AL |
| Dec 22, 1997* | Alabama State | W 85–61 | 7–4 | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Dec 27, 1997* | vs. Sam Houston State All–College Tournament | W 77–58 | 8–4 | Myriad Convention Center Oklahoma City, OK |
| Dec 28, 1997* | vs. Oklahoma All–College Tournament | L 61–79 | 8–5 | Myriad Convention Center Oklahoma City, OK |
| Jan 3, 1998 | Mississippi State | L 52–56 | 8–6 (0–1) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Jan 7, 1998 | at LSU | W 60–57 | 9–6 (1–1) | Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, LA |
| Jan 10, 1998 | No. 14 Ole Miss | L 63–74 | 9–7 (1–2) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Jan 14, 1998 | Vanderbilt | L 69–72 | 9–8 (1–3) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Jan 18, 1998 | at Auburn Iron Bowl of basketball | L 40–94 | 9–9 (1–4) | Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum Auburn, AL |
| Jan 21, 1998 | at No. 7 Kentucky | L 67–70 | 9–10 (1–5) | Freedom Hall Louisville, KY |
| Jan 24, 1998 | at No. 18 Arkansas | L 70–77 | 9–11 (1–6) | Bud Walton Arena Fayetteville, AR |
| Jan 28, 1998 | Tennessee | L 70–84 | 9–12 (1–7) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Feb 4, 1998 | Auburn Iron Bowl of basketball | W 76–62 | 10–12 (2–7) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Feb 7, 1998 | at No. 17 Ole Miss | L 74–75 | 10–13 (2–8) | Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, MS |
| Feb 11, 1998 | at No. 15 South Carolina | L 63–74 | 10–14 (2–9) | Carolina Coliseum Columbia, SC |
| Feb 14, 1998 | Florida | W 80–66 | 11–14 (3–9) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Feb 18, 1998 | at Georgia | L 71–78 | 11–15 (3–10) | Stegeman Coliseum Athens, GA |
| Feb 21, 1998 | LSU | W 69–60 | 12–15 (4–10) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Feb 25, 1998 | at Mississippi State | W 85–70 | 13–15 (5–10) | Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, MS |
| Feb 28, 1998 | No. 12 Arkansas | W 65–63 | 14–15 (6–10) | Coleman Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL |
| SEC Tournament ||||||
| Mar 5, 1998 | vs. Vanderbilt SEC Tournament First Round | W 72–62 | 15–15 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA |
| Mar 6, 1998 | vs. No. 7 Kentucky SEC Tournament Quarterfinals | L 71–82 | 15–16 | Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||
Sources