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Alabama Gets Positive Grant Nelson Injury Update Ahead of NCAA Tournament

The Crimson Tide need one of the their top players.

Patrick Andres

Grant Nelson, seen here blocking a shot, will be critical to Alabama's national title chances.
Grant Nelson, seen here blocking a shot, will be critical to Alabama's national title chances. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Two days after its loss to Florida in an SEC tournament semifinal, Alabama has received positive news regarding the status of forward Grant Nelson.

Nelson—who suffered an apparent leg injury in that 22-point defeat—will be questionable for the No. 2 Crimson Tide's first-round NCAA tournament game against Robert Morris Friday. Alabama is hoping he can return for a potential second-round matchup against the winner of Vanderbilt's game against Saint Mary's.

"We dodged one," Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said Monday evening on the radio via Nick Kelly of AL.com.

Nelson averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for Alabama this season, helping the Crimson Tide snag their third top-two national seed in five years.

In 2024, Nelson was named All-Region as Alabama made its first men's Final Four. Before joining the Crimson Tide, he played three seasons with North Dakota State—making the All-Summit team in 2023.

Alabama's NCAA tournament journey will begin in Cleveland, with the potential of advancing to the East Regional semifinals in Newark.

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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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