Nate Oats Provides Injury Update on Rylan Griffen Ahead of SEC Tournament

Griffen missed Alabama's regular season finale against Arkansas with a calf injury after leaving the Florida game early.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With March now here, Alabama basketball is looking to get healthy ahead of tournament play. During Wednesday's press conference ahead of the SEC Tournament, head coach Nate Oats updated the status of Rylan Griffen, who missed the Crimson Tide's last game with a calf strain.

"Rylan [Griffen] has not gone live yet, but he's doing more and more basketball activity every day," Oats said. "We're hopeful he could possibly play Friday. We'll put him through more stuff tomorrow and see how he responds. Could end up being a game-time decision."

Griffen has been a starter for the entire season for the Crimson Tide, currently averaging 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 38.2 percent from beyond the arc this season. 

Alabama received the 3-seed in this weekend's SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, being awarded a double-bye to the quarterfinal round of the tournament. The Crimson Tide will play its first game on Friday night around 8:30 p.m. CT, against one of 6-seed Florida, 11-seed Georgia, or 14-seed Missouri depending on earlier games in the tournament.

If Griffen is able to play this weekend, it will be the first time Alabama has had a fully healthy lineup since early February. Latrell Wrightsell missed four games in late February and early March with a head injury, and in his first game back, Griffen suffered his injury while Wrightsell was also on a minutes restriction.

"If we can get them both back, I think it gives us a lot better shot at winning three in a row," Oats said.

See also:

Where Alabama Basketball Stands in NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections