Report: Alabama players Darius Miles, Dominick Welch are doubtful vs South Alabama, per Nate Oats

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber•11/15/22

Alabama hoops takes on mid-major intrastate South Alabama tonight, but will likely be without two of its veteran wings. College basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported that Dominick Welch and Darius Miles are both doubtful, according to head coach Nate Oats.

Here was that report via Twitter:

“Alabama’s Dominick Welch (lower body) and Darius Miles (foot) remain doubtful for today’s game against South Alabama, per Nate Oats. Welch is a transfer from St. Bonaventure.”

Welch has not yet suited up for the Tide since transferring from St. Bonaventure, meanwhile Miles has dealt with the foot injury throughout the start of the season. He did appear in the team’s season-opener against Longwood, but left after just seven minutes. Now, looks like he and Welch will be out for the Tide’s third game of the year.

More on Welch, Miles

As a player, Dominick Welch is a dream fit in the Nate Oats galaxy. He’s a multi-positional 6-5 wing that shots twice as many threes as twos — and shoots over 37% from deep on nearly 700 attempts across his career. Just last season, he tossed up over seven three-point attempts per game, and made 37.4% of those. He’s a gunner who just got paired with one of the most three-happy coaches in the country. Match made in heaven between these two.

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Before coming to Alabama, Welch was apart of what was supposed to be a St. Bonaventure super-team. The Bonnies started the same four players for three straight years, from 2020-2022. They earned a 9-seed in 2021, then returned everybody for 2022 and were a consensus preseason top 25 team last fall. Alas, the season just fell flat. The team finished fifth in the A-10 and Welch and the other three longtime starters all bolted for power five schools afterward.

As for Miles, he’s a true junior in the Oats system and slotted in there sort of in that Keon Ellis/Herb Jones role. Obviously he’s not yet the defender Jones was nor the scorer Ellis was, but he fits in that mold as a switchable and athletic forward who can stretch the floor. The type of player that makes the whole Oats system work.

Important and experienced pieces for the Tide. The freshman class has wowed so far, but once Alabama faces stiffer competition, they’ll need the upperclassmen back.