Grant Nelson injury update: Alabama star leaves game, status revealed vs. Florida

Grant Nelson has already made plays early against Florida in the SEC Tournament semifinals. A key piece to Alabama‘s Final Four run last season, the Crimson Tide are hoping for something similar. But there is now an injury to be concerned about.

Nelson has been ruled questionable for the remainder of the Florida game according to Alabama. It’s a left leg injury bothering him, suffered when attempting to make a play on the offensive end.

“Grant Nelson has a left leg injury and is questionable to return vs. Florida, per a UA spokesperson,” Charlie Potter of On3’s BOL said via X.

Despite not playing the first half’s final stretch, Nelson is tied as the team’s leading scorer at nine points with Jarin Stevenson. Nelson has made four of seven from the field, including a three-point attempt while also snagging three rebounds.

Head coach Nate Oats has been honest about the need for Nelson to play well. His confidence appears to be back after regaining health but now has another hurdle to overcome.

Alabama gave Nelson’s status right before the halftime break, one where Florida heads to the locker room with a two-point lead. Earning a spot in the SEC Tournament championship game against Tennessee is going to be no easy task. Getting Nelson back on the court certainly will help.

Nate Oats rips Alabama defense early in first half vs. Florida

Through the first 12 minutes of Saturday’s SEC tournament semifinal game, Alabama vs. Florida had the makings of a shootout. However, Nate Oats didn’t like what he saw from the Crimson Tide defense amid a 35-35 ballgame with eight minutes to go until halftime.

Both teams were shooting better than 50% from the field in the first half, and Walter Clayton Jr. started off red-hot from three-point territory. He made four of his first seven shots from downtown to help lead the Florida offense.

Between Clayton’s success and Florida’s six early offensive rebounds, Oats wanted to see more effort from his defense. While the offense looked strong to start, he called on the defense to kick it into gear.

“Not good enough,” Oats said when asked by ESPN’s Jess Sims about rating Alabama’s performance. “We’ve given up way too many o-boards and given up threes to shooters. Offensively, we look a lot better. Defensively, we’ve been a trainwreck, in my opinion. We can’t keep giving up threes to these shooters and the offensive rebounds we’re giving up in there.”