Creighton coach Greg McDermott was ready for the return of Alabama basketball guard Chris Youngblood.
After being benched for the season thus far with ankle injury, the USF transfer was cleared to play on a minutes restriction for Saturday’s game per coach Nate Oats, who told The Field of 68 a day earlier that Alabama (7-2) would “ease him back” into action.
At pregame availability for the Bluejays, McDermott said Youngblood could end up being one of Alabama’s “better players that hasn’t played yet.”
McDermott reflected on times when Creighton (7-3) faced Youngblood in earlier matchups during his start at Kennesaw State before his rise as one of the country’s sharpest 3-point shooters at South Florida last season, where he averaged a team-best 15.3 points per game.
How has Alabama basketball’s Chris Youngblood fared against Creighton?
As a freshman, Youngblood drained three 3-pointers to come second on the team in scoring for Kennesaw State against Creighton.
After losing by 35 points in his first go against the Bluejays, Youngblood’s sophomore appearance saw Kennesaw State with a halftime lead, although Marcus Zegarowski would eventually surge Creighton to a 7-point victory. Youngblood played 35 minutes for just seven points, but excelled at the glass with seven boards.
“He’s been a great leader whether he’s been on or off the floor,” Oats said of Youngblood, commending the fifth-year’s veteran status. “I love having him in the program. Even when he hasn’t been able to play, he makes everybody better.”
Last season, Alabama basketball fell 85-82 to Creighton, but will have a new weapon from the arc on Saturday that it didn’t have then for tipoff in Coleman Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
