Alabama women’s basketball received the No. 5 seed in the Regional 2 — Birmingham bracket of the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide will play No. 12 seed Green Bay in College Park, Maryland on Saturday.
“I know that we are going into this with the goal of making sure we leave our tank empty,” Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said.
This is Alabama’s 14th NCAA Tournament appearance, and it is the fourth time in program history that the Crimson Tide has earned a No. 5 seed or better.
The Alabama women’s basketball team’s reaction to being named a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. @CWsports pic.twitter.com/aRvqgPcz95
— Matthew Mason (@MatthewMason__) March 17, 2025
Alabama has made it to the Big Dance four of the last five seasons, and this year is the team’s highest seed in that span.
Coming into Selection Sunday, the Crimson Tide needed a No. 4 seed or higher in order to host the first and second rounds in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama finished this season ranked No. 21 in the AP and Coach’s polls, but an early exit in the SEC Tournament at the hands of Florida worsened Alabama’s chances of hosting.
Even though Alabama’s situation did not turn out ideal, Curry said she is not worried about the committee’s decision and is happy the team is in its region, which will play the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Birmingham.
“We’ve been given the opportunity to get back to sweet home Alabama,” Curry said. “We’re gonna do everything we can to get to Birmingham.”
Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, a Birmingham native, won two high school state championships in Legacy Arena and said she is thrilled to have an opportunity to potentially play in front of her home crowd if her team can reach the Sweet Sixteen.
Starting guards Barker, Zaay Green and Aaliyah Nye have only one more guaranteed game left in a crimson uniform.
“We all want to prolong this year as much as we can because we’re fifth-year seniors,” Nye said, adding that she and her veteran teammates have a sense of urgency heading into their final NCAA Tournament appearance.
Alabama will play Green Bay on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT. It will be broadcast on ESPN2. The winner of Alabama-Green Bay will face the winner of No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 13 seed Norfolk State in the second round.
