Alabama forward Darius Miles out for season with ankle injury

Junior forward Darius Miles will miss the rest of Alabama‘s 2022-2023 season with an ankle injury, per release. Miles sustained the injury during preseason camp and had been rehabbing ever since.

“After consulting with medical staff and Andrews’ Sports Medicine foot and ankle specialist Dr. Norman Waldrop, it was determined to withhold Miles from basketball activities moving forward and focus on his rehabilitation,” the release read.

He appeared in six games for the Crimson Tide this season and averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds on the year.

It’s unclear as of the release whether or not Miles will have to undergo surgery, but he is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2023-2024 season.

Nate Oats analyzes play of Mark Sears vs. Arkansas

Somehow, someway, the Arkansas Razorbacks held Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller to ZERO shot attempts in the first half of their game in early January.

Miller is roundly regarded as the top freshman and one of the top players in all of college ball, averaging over 18 points a game as a 6-foot-9 athletic mismatch who can also turn into Buddy Hield for a few possessions at a time. But the Hogs were able to shut him down entirely in the first half of their game vs. ‘Bama. 

Crimson Tide fans can thank the heavens for junior point guard Mark Sears, who came through to carry the offensive load for Nate Oats’ group against Arkansas, especially in that first half. With Miller a no-show in the first 20 minutes and facing tenacious face-guarded defense all night from Razorback guard Devo Davis, Sears had to initiate most of the offense against an elite Hogs defensive unit.

He thrived, racking up 26 points and three assists while shooting 10-10 from the free-throw line. Simply put: Mark Sears loaded the Crimson Tide onto his back and carried them to a 15-point victory. He was the best player on the floor that night and it wasn’t even close. 

“We needed somebody to score it. Those two are our two leading scorers (Sears and Miller), and he always comes ready to play,” said Nate Oats of Sears after the game. With Miller having an off night, the team needed Sears to come through and he did just that and much more.