For many generations, college football has captured the hearts and minds of sports fans in Alabama and across the south.

During various times in Alabama Crimson Tide history, Alabama basketball was a consistent factor relative to making the NCAA Tournament and competing for SEC championships.

Within the last 15 years, former Alabama player and head coach Mark Gottfried guided the Crimson Tide to five NCAA Tournament bids and won the program’s most recent SEC regular season championship in 2002.

Since Gottfried’s departure in 2009, Alabama has played appeared in just one NCAA Tournament game in 2012.

During a recent visit Inside the Locker Room, former Alabama and NC State head basketball coach Mark Gottfried surveyed the college basketball landscape including his thoughts on the recipe for success on the hardwood in Tuscaloosa beginning with in-state recruiting.

“You’re going to get a guy here and there from Mississippi or Georgia or somewhere, but to survive in the long haul, you’ve got to get the best players in the state of Alabama.” Gottfried said.

The former Alabama head basketball coach won 210 games at Alabama in large part due to talented players from the state of Alabama like Gerald Wallace, Erwin Dudley, Ronald Steele, Chuck Davis and Richard Hendrix.

Gottfried reflected back on his run as the head basketball coach of the Crimson Tide and mentioned how in-state recruiting is one of the most crucial priorities in succeeding at Alabama.

“I think it’s important. I think it’s the job where that was probably the most important thing from recruiting.” Gottfried mentioned.

Gottfried also analyzed the landscape of college basketball including officiating, the comparison of basketball in the ACC and SEC and the proliferation of “one-and-done” players across the country.

Catch Inside the Locker Room every morning from 7-9 AM on Tide 102.9/100.9 and the radioPup app.

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