Injury Update on Alabama Forward Grant Nelson Ahead of Purdue Matchup
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama basketball is preparing for a brutal three-game stretch against No. 4 Purdue, No. 10 Creighton and No. 1 Arizona beginning with the Boilermakers this Saturday in Toronto.
Purdue has the best big man in the country in 7-foot-4 forward Zach Edey, and the Tide might be without one of its starting bigs to face him.
Transfer forward Grant Nelson missed the closing minutes of Alabama's victory over Arkansas State with a lower leg injury, and as of Thursday, Nelson still hasn't practiced since according to Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
"He hasn’t practiced yet, but we’re gonna try tomorrow and see how it goes," Oats said. "It’s not an injury that should hold him out longer than a week or two. If he can’t go Saturday, I’m very confident he’ll be able to play the following week. But he hasn’t practiced yet."
Nelson has made an instant impact for the Crimson Tide since transferring in from North Dakota State over the offseason. He has started all eight games, averaging 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Nelson also leads Alabama with 15 blocks.
Oats entered Thursday's press conference directly after the Tide's practice ran long.
"We've had a good couple of days of practice," Oats said. "It's gonna be something a little different than facing anybody else we've faced all year. Zach Edey presents real problems. And he's big. He's pretty much impossible to guard one-on-one."
Senior forward Nick Pringle will be back for this game after serving a in-team suspension.
