Grant Nelson's availability for No. 4 Purdue remains unclear
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama forward Grant Nelson didn’t finish the Arkansas State game, leaving the Crimson Tide bench early to get a head start on treatment for a leg injury.
Head coach Nate Oats provided an update on Nelson prior to the game against No. 4 Purdue.
“He hasn’t practiced yet, but we’re going try him tomorrow and see how it goes,” Oats said on Thursday. “It’s not an injury that should hold him out longer than a week or two. If he can’t go Saturday, I’m very confident he’ll be able to play the following week.
“But he hasn’t practiced yet. We just got out of practice, but we’re going to see what happens tomorrow, see what it feels like in the morning.”
Before his second-half exit, Nelson recorded 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three, in 16 minutes. He also had one rebound, two assists, one steal and one block.
Through eight games, Nelson has been Alabama’s third-leading scorer at 14.3 points per game and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per contest and has 14 blocks on the season.
A key add from the transfer portal from North Dakota State, Nelson was named to the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, which annually recognizes the top player in college basketball, and the Karl Malone Award watch list for the top power forward in Division I.
Alabama (6-2) will face off against Purdue (8-1) in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 9. Part of the Hall of Fame series, the game at Coca-Cola Coliseum will tip off at 12:30 p.m. CT on FOX.
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