Alabama Guard Chris Youngblood Expected To Make Season Debut Against Creighton Bluejays

The South Florida transfer is set to see his first action of the year after an offseason ankle injury.

Chris Youngblood / Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 7 Alabama basketball team returns home for the first time in a month to face the final opponent in it's brutal seven-game stretch of non-conference action. The Crimson Tide will welcome Creighton after defeating North Carolina in Chapel Hill last week and will look to get the programs first win over the Bluejays after going 0-3 all time.

Alabama expects to see South Florida transfer guard Chris Youngblood make his season debut on Saturday after the sharpshooter injured his ankle in the offseason.

"Chris [Youngblood] has practiced in still a limited role, we haven't had him do everything," Nate Oats said. "I would anticipate him getting some minutes, as long as - yesterday's practice he had a little bit. It's not just whether his ankle's right, he hasn't gone hard, so his whole body's got to get ready to play. He had a little bit of a hiccup and he was able to go some today. So as long as he recovers from today alright I would anticipate him playing limited minutes tomorrow"

Youngblood averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists for South Florida last season while shooting 41% from beyond the arc. His return comes at an important time as the Crimson Tide recently lost Latrell Wrightsell for the season with an Achilles injury.

"He's been a great leader, whether he's been on or off the floor, it is easier to lead when you're on the floor because you're in the middle of all the action," continued Oats.

"His leadership's been great. He's ultra-competitive. He's a veteran. He's taken a program at Kennesaw from one win to winning the league to following his coach to South Florida and winning there. He's from Tuscaloosa originally, so a big Alabama fan. I love having him in the program even when he hasn't been able to play in games. I think he makes everybody better. His intensity level, his toughness, his IQ. He's going to obviously be rusty, what we see tomorrow's not going to be what we see against Oklahoma when SEC play starts. But you've got to start somewhere and start playing. We'll hopefully get him in some minutes tomorrow and then let him kind of build from here over these next four games before we hit SEC play."

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