Nate Oats provides update on Grant Nelson after SEC Tournament loss
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama forward Grant Nelson exited Saturday’s SEC Tournament game against Florida with a left leg injury in the first half and did not return to the 104-82 loss.
Nelson emerged from the locker room in the second half and walked gingerly from the tunnel to the Crimson Tide bench. He watched the remainder of the defeat from the UA sideline.
After the game, Alabama head coach Nate Oats offered an update on Nelson’s setback.
“He got that knee injury, and I’m not exactly sure what it is,” Oats said. “I think don’t think they’re thinking it’s anything with an ACL or anything like that. He got evaluated by the team doctor at halftime, and then they kind of let us know at the beginning of the second half that he wasn’t gonna be able to go.
“Hopefully we get him back for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.”
Before his injury, Nelson scored nine points on 4-7 shooting from the field and 1-3 from 3-point range. The forward also recorded three rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal.
“Shoot, we were up one when he went out and got out-scored 63-40 after that,” Oats said. “So it wasn’t all him, but we were right in the game till he went out.
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“I thought with the guys we had in the second half, we still should have been able to stay in the game and make a run at trying to get the win without him, but obviously, a lot of tougher without him, especially the way he was playing to start that game out.”
Nelson entered Saturday’s SEC Tournament semifinal matchup against the Gators averaging 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field. Nelson has scored in double figures 19 times this season with seven double-doubles. To cap the regular season, the fifth-year senior scored 23 points in a road win over Auburn.
Alabama will learn its first-round NCAA Tournament opponent, location and date on Sunday, March 16. The official bracket will be revealed live on CBS, beginning at 5 p.m. CT.
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