# 1987–88 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team

The 1987–88 Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama in the 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Wimp Sanderson, who was in his eighth season at Alabama. The team played their home games at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They finished the season with a record of 14–17, 6–12 in conference, finishing in a tie for eighth place. It was the Tide's first non-winning season since the 1971–72 season.
The Tide suffered heavy losses in the 1987 offseason. Forward Derrick McKey declared early for the NBA draft after his junior season. Forward Jim Farmer graduated and was also drafted into the NBA. Also, guards James Jackson, Terry Coner, and Mark Gottfried all graduated. The Tide signed freshman forward Melvin Cheatum and freshman guards Gary Waites and Bryant Lancaster to try and offset the losses. Also, junior college transfer Alvin Lee, who the previous season led the NJCAA in scoring, was also signed.
The Tide lost in the first round of the SEC tournament to Ole Miss. The team failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1982 and failed to reach any postseason play for the first time since 1978.

## Schedule and Results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| November 27, 1987* | | New Mexico State | W 85–84 | 1–0 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| November 28, 1987* | | at Hawaii Pacific | W 91–80 | 2–0 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| November 29, 1987* | | Central Michigan | W 83–80 | 3–0 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| December 5, 1987* | | USC | W 78–69 | 4–0 | |
| December 9, 1987* | | at South Carolina | L 67–73 | 4–1 | Carolina Coliseum Columbia, South Carolina |
| December 12, 1987* | | Louisiana-Monroe | W 86–66 | 5–1 | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| December 19, 1987* | | Montana State | L 69–77 | 5–2 | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| December 21, 1987* | | Mississippi Valley State | W 64–46 | 6–2 | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| December 23, 1987* | | Arkansas | L 55–80 | 6–3 | Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas |
| December 28, 1987 | | at UCF | W 65–54 | 7–3 | Orange County Civic Center Orlando, Florida |
| December 29, 1987* | | No. 3 Pittsburgh | L 51–87 | 7–4 | Orange County Civic Center Orlando, Florida |
| January 2, 1988* | | Charleston Southern | W 55–41 | 8–4 | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| January 6, 1988 | | Georgia | L 57–59 | 8–5 (0–1) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| January 9, 1988 | | at Mississippi State | L 56–59 | 8–6 (0–2) | Humphrey Coliseum Starkville, Mississippi |
| January 13, 1988 | | No. 5 Kentucky | L 55–63 | 8–7 (0–3) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| January 16, 1988 | | at Vanderbilt | L 60–76 | 8–8 (0–4) | Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee |
| January 20, 1988 | | at LSU | L 52–67 | 8–9 (0–5) | Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| January 23, 1988 | | Ole Miss | W 73–66 | 9–9 (1–5) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| January 27, 1988 | | at Auburn | L 74–84 | 9–10 (1–6) | Memorial Coliseum Auburn, Alabama |
| January 30, 1988 | | Tennessee | W 82–69 | 10–10 (2–6) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| February 3, 1988 | | No. 19 Florida | L 64–74 | 10–11 (2–7) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| February 6, 1988 | | at Georgia | L 54–67 | 10–12 (2–8) | Stegeman Coliseum Athens, Georgia |
| February 10, 1988 | | Mississippi State | W 61–48 | 11–12 (3–8) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| February 13, 1988 | | at No. 10 Kentucky | L 68–82 | 11–13 (3–9) | Rupp Arena Lexington, Kentucky |
| February 17, 1988 | | No. 16 Vanderbilt | W 88–77 | 12–13 (4–9) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| February 20, 1988 | | LSU | W 72–59 | 13–13 (5–9) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| February 24, 1988 | | at Ole Miss | L 47–64 | 13–14 (5–10) | Tad Smith Coliseum Oxford, Mississippi |
| February 27, 1988 | | Auburn | W 82–77 | 14–14 (6–10) | Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| March 2, 1988 | | at Tennessee | L 58–81 | 14–15 (6–11) | Thompson-Boling Arena Knoxville, Tennessee |
| March 5, 1988 | | at Florida | L 45–52 | 14–16 (6–12) | O'Connell Center Gainesville, Florida |
| SEC Tournament ||||||
| March 7, 1985 | (9) | (8) Ole Miss First Round | L 59–64 $^{OT}$ | 14–17 | Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. SE=Southeast. ||||||