Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. to miss Elite Eight vs. Clemson
LOS ANGELES – Alabama will again be without guard Latrell Wrightsell, who will miss the Crimson Tide’s Elite Eight game with the Clemson Tigers, according to a UA spokesperson.
Wrightsell suffered a head injury in the first half of the Crimson Tide’s second-round game with Grand Canyon on Sunday, March 23, and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
He traveled to California with the team but wasn’t present during the viewing portion of Wednesday’s practice and wasn’t in uniform for the North Carolina game. Despite not having Wrightsell, Alabama was able to upset UNC and advance to the Elite Eight. Now, the Crimson Tide will look to do the same against Clemson with a trip to the Final Four on the line.
Head coach Nate Oats said Wrightsell has not yet been cleared by Alabama’s doctors, but he is hopeful the guard will be available next week, should the Tide win and advance tonight.
This marked the second time Wrightsell has been sidelined by a head injury this season. The guard missed four SEC games late in the regular season because of a nagging concussion.
The Cal State Fullerton transfer entered the second week of the NCAA Tournament averaging 9.3 points per game and was shooting 44.9 percent from 3-point range, 45.1 percent from the field and 100 percent from the free-throw line. After returning from his initial injury in the Tide’s penultimate regular-season game, Wrightsell started the next four games for UA.
Alabama is also without redshirt freshman guard Davin Cosby, who has been sidelined by a broken foot during the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, senior forward Nick Pringle is dealing with a heel bruise, but he went through warmups and is expected to give it a go tonight.
Tonight’s game at Crypto.com Arena is scheduled to tip off at 7:49 p.m. CT on TBS/truTV.
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