TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — For the first time since the 2002-03 season, the University of Alabama men’s basketball is ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.
It’s been 20 years since the Crimson Tide reached the coveted No. 1 spot in college basketball. Since Nate Oats first became head coach in 2019, Alabama has had a record of 83-39, (45-21 SEC), with a SEC regular season and tournament championship in the 2020-21 season. Oats has also helped produce two NBA lottery picks.
Under former coach Mark Gottfried in the 2002-02 season, Bama got off to a 9-0 start to earn them the No. 1 ranking in the country, where they stayed from December 25, 2002 until January 1, 2003 before losing to Utah in Salt Lake City.
Here’s a look at some of the things that were happening across the country the last time Alabama was ranked No. 1:
George W. Bush was president

‘Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ was the No. 1 movie in theaters

Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” was the No. 1 song on the Billboard Top 40 chart

Ohio State defeated Miami in double overtime for the national championship

Apple released its second-generation iPod which held 20 GB in storage

Kelly Clarkson was the first winner of ‘American Idol’

Everyone was still playing the original ‘Sims’ computer game
