TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – With basketball season starting tonight, it’s as good a time as ever to look at the Crimson Tide’s season opener vs. Morehead State.
Alabama comes into this season off the back of a sweet sixteen appearance last season, their second under Head Coach Nate Oats. The team had a 32-9 record and won both the SEC regular season and tournament championships. With a lot of contribution leaving that team, this year’s Alabama looks a little different.
The first place to start is the transfers, with four players coming to Tuscaloosa via the transfer portal. The first big one is Grant Nelson, a 6’11 forward who spent three yeas at North Dakota State. He has the size that Alabama desperately needed after Charles Bediako left for the NBA this summer. Nelson also shot over 50 percent from the field last year for the Bison, and should see his contribution rise as the season goes on.
Another transfer to look at is Aaron Estrada, who was a back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year at Hofstra. Estrada averaged 20.2 points and 5 rebounds per game last season, and lead Alabama with 24 points in their scrimmage against Wake Forest. He definitely looks the part in his early action for the Crimson Tide, and should be a leader throughout the season.
Alabama will also be returning some faces from last years team. Mark Sears and Rylan Griffen will man the backcourt. Sears was instrumental for the team last season, averaging about 13 points and three assists per game. Girffen has a lesser role, but still contributed six points and about three rebounds per game.
In the frontcourt, senior Nick Pringle looks to have a good second season at Alabama since transferring from Wofford. He averaged about four points and three rebounds per game last season. While he did not attempt a three pointer in all of last season, his role when he did play was an enforcer down low. He had 15 blocks and eight steals last season, which is great for a guy coming off of the bench.
While there are other players to discuss, Alabama also needs to focus on beating a good Morehead State team on opening night. The Eagles finished last year with a 22-12 record, and were 14-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference. They went to the NIT Tournament and pulled off a 68-64 upset over Clemson in the opening round before falling to UAB in the second round. Senior guard Mark Freeman led them in scoring last year with 15 points-per-game, and a lot of the team is experienced, with only three true freshman on their roster.
Nate Oats knows what he is scheduling with teams like Morehead State, a team that provides a unique opportunity to get tested early in the season. Morehead State is projected to win their conference this year, and Alabama will have to be up to the task if they want to start off the season with a win.
