Alabama’s Nate Oats provides uneasy Grant Nelson injury update ahead of NCAA Tournament
Alabama is a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they have been very inconsistent lately. The Crimson Tide had a chance to secure the final one-seed spot alongside SEC foes Tennessee and Florida. However, after losing to Florida, that opportunity slipped away, leaving Alabama to wonder what could have been.
Head coach Nate Oats has expressed frustration with the team’s recent performance, even saying that he isn’t happy with simply being in the NCAA Tournament. Oats’ frustrations stem from the way the Crimson Tide has been losing games recently.
“I’m not just happy to be in the NCAA Tournament right now. We need to make a run. Getting in the tournament is not good enough. Anything short of a Final Four would be a disappointment in my opinion. That’s what the expectation is,” Oats said.
During the game against Florida on Saturday, senior Grant Nelson suffered an apparent knee injury. While the reports came back negative—indicating there are no torn ligaments or anything of that nature—Nelson is dealing with significant swelling and soreness. As a key contributor to this year’s team, losing him for March could be very concerning for Alabama.
On Monday, Oats gave an update on Nelson’s injury status, describing the situation as concerning but not overly alarming.
“We’re hoping, at a minimum, he’d be ready by Sunday with the possibility of maybe Friday,” Oats told The Next Round.
Playing without Nelson will require an adjustment, as he has been a major factor in the Crimson Tide’s success over the past two seasons. Nelson is a versatile stretch-four, a strong rebounder, and a player who finds different ways to impact the game.
The Crimson Tide will hope to have Nelson back by Sunday at the latest. However, with tough opponents like Vanderbilt and Saint Mary’s on the horizon, Alabama will need to be at their best to avoid an early postseason exit.
