Alabama's men's basketball program has been overshadowed for most of its history by football. However, in Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets recent years, the men's basketball program has risen in stature nationally under head coach Mark Gottfried, Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets achieving a No. 1 national ranking briefly in 2003. Further, UA has become a regular conference basketball contender, much as it was in the 80s under the direction of Wimp Sanderson. In the 2003-04 season the Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets University of Alabama's men's basketball team reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament and ended up losing to the national champion of that year, UCONN. Alabama's athletic teams are known as the Crimson Tide.
The school fields varsity teams in the NCAA's Division I and is a member of the Southeastern Conference (Western Division), while club sports compete in their respective leagues. The school's athletic teams compete Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets at the highest level, often contending for conference and NCAA titles. Athletic facilities on campus include the 83,818-seat Bryant-Denny Stadium, named after legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and former UA Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets President George Denny, and the 15,043-seat Coleman Coliseum. Alabama maintains athletic rivalries with Auburn University and the University of Tennessee.
The rivalry with Auburn is especially heated as it encompasses all sports. The annual Alabama-Auburn game is Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets nicknamed the Iron Bowl and is considered one of the most intense games in all of college football. The Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets Alabama-Auburn basketball games (two each season, not counting possible postseason matchups) are often called "Iron Ball."
While the rivalry with Tennessee is centered around football for the most part, there is no shortage of acrimony here, especially given the recent history between UT Coach Phillip Fulmer and his relationship to the Tide's most recent NCAA probation. There Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets are also rivalries with Louisiana State University Alabama Crimson Basketball tickets (football and baseball), Mississippi State University (men's basketball), and the University of Georgia (women's gymnastics).