Alabama basketball's Nate Oats has never coached in a Final Four, but at least one of his experiences there will give him a familiar feeling: coaching against a Hurley.

The Crimson Tide will try to extend the deepest NCAA Tournament run in school history on Saturday against No. 1-seeded UConn as NCAA Tournament March Madness settles on Glendale, Ariz., for the Final Four. The Huskies are coached by Dan Hurley, with whom Oats has been friends for years. Dan's older brother Bobby, the former Duke star point guard, hired Oats from the high school ranks to join him on his staff at Buffalo in 2013. Oats was later promoted to head coach upon Hurley's exit, and was hired at Alabama from there.

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As for Oats' history coaching against the Hurleys, he led Buffalo against Bobby's Arizona State team in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and won 91-74.

"It's a similar situation to my last year at Buffalo when I played Bobby in the tournament. Which, to go against my boss, that was a little different. But this is the second time I've played one of the Hurley brothers in the NCAA Tournament. This one's just on a little bit bigger stage," Oats said.

A bigger stage, indeed. The Crimson Tide's first Final Four appearance comes against the defending national champions and the tournament's top overall seed.

"I don't know that we'll be breaking bread Friday night with me, Bobby and Danny, but it is kind of cool that we're playing each other in the Final Four in Bobby's hometown ... Danny's one of the guys I talk to a lot during the year. He's obviously really good," Oats added. "We both have a high school background. We've both known each other for a long time. I probably won't be asking him his advice about how to handle the week of the Final Four."

Oats described both Hurley brothers as two of his mentors. He said whichever head coach survives and advances to Monday's national championship game will have the other rooting him on.

"I'm sure he's going to be on the refs as usual. I might be a little bit as well. We're both going to be super intense. Whoever wins at the end, we'll hug it out and cheer for the other one in the final. And be friends again after the game. I did talk to him for a little bit yesterday," Oats added. "... Tons of respect for those guys. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for either one of them."

Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball's Nate Oats and his history with Hurley brothers