The second-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball team will begin their NCAA Tournament campaign in Cleveland on Friday, nearly 800 miles from Tuscaloosa.
However, head coach Nate Oats and standout guard Mark Sears are no strangers to Rocket Arena. Both have ties to the Mid-American Conference (MAC), which holds its annual tournament in Cleveland. Oats previously coached at the University at Buffalo, while Sears played for Ohio University before transferring to Alabama two seasons ago.
Oats noted Sears’ success in Cleveland, highlighting his 4-1 record in the city—an 80% win rate. “I thought my 9-1 record here was good, but he’s right there with me,” Oats joked on Thursday.
Since taking over at Alabama in 2019, Oats has led the team to five SEC Tournament titles, two Sweet 16 appearances, and a Final Four run last year, amassing a 142-62 record. Before Alabama, he coached Buffalo to three MAC Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament second-round appearances.
Sears, who arrived at Ohio University in 2020, was an All-MAC selection and helped the Bobcats win the MAC Tournament as a freshman in 2021. After averaging 35.7 points and 3.8 assists in his final season at Ohio, he transferred to Alabama in 2022.
Oats praised Sears’ development, stating that his success at Ohio proved he could thrive at a high level. “He’s worked hard and been rewarded for it,” Oats said, crediting the MAC for giving Sears confidence early in his career.
Sears has flourished at Alabama, becoming the program’s first-ever consensus first-team All-American. Leading the nation’s top-scoring offense (91.1 points per game), he averages 18.7 points and a team-best 4.9 assists.
Despite moving from a mid-major to a powerhouse program, Sears has maintained his competitive edge. “At the mid-major level, you have to win the tournament to get in. At the high-major level, you have to win to get a good seed,” Sears said. “No matter what, you have to compete to go further than before.”
Now, Sears and Oats will look to make another deep tournament run—this time in familiar territory.