Nate Oats provides initial injury update on Rylan Griffen
A scary sight for Alabama unfolded late in Tuesday’s blowout loss to Florida. As guard Rylan Griffen was battling for a loose ball, he collided with two defenders and immediately went down to the ground, clearly in pain. Trainers took him back to the locker room and we did not see Griffen on the court again.
Head coach Nate Oats gave the initial injury update shortly after the final buzzer, saying Griffen has a calf injury. An MRI will take place on Tuesday and Alabama will know more then. Until then, it’s a general diagnosis and further information will be revealed later in the week.
“Rylan has a calf injury and is getting an MRI tomorrow,” Oats said during a postgame radio interview with Crimson Tide Sports Network. “That’s all I know on that.”
When the play involving Oats occurred, he was not too thrilled with how the officials called it. He wanted a foul to go against Florida for knocking Griffen out of the air. Alabama assistant coaches held him back in order to not get a technical foul. However, when the ESPN broadcast came back from a commercial break, a Florida player was at the free-throw line.
“I thought he got hit and knocked down,” Oats said in his press conference. “They thought it was a loose ball that both guys were going for.”
Griffen has been crucial for Alabama in his sophomore season. Not too many teams will 11.2 points per game place you as the fourth leading scorer but that’s where Griffen stands. And Alabama might struggle heavily on the defensive end but Oats has called Griffen the Crimson Tide’s best on-ball defender.
Alabama now dealing with multiple injuries
Alabama already had a key starter dealing with an injury, with Latrell Wrightsell having a head injury. Wrightstell got back into the lineup on Tuesday night early in the first half. However, once checking out, he has not been subbed back in.
Just one regular season game remains for Alabama before heading to Nashville for the SEC Tournament. Arkansas will come to Coleman Coliseum for the finale and it’s one the Crimson Tide will be desperate to win.
Wrightsell already getting game action proved he is healthy enough to get a few minutes. As for Griffen, Oats will surely provide more information during his postgame press conference. A crucial week is upcoming for Alabama and having those two guys healthy could prove to be critical.