Alabama men’s basketball finished its gauntlet of a seven-game stretch with a victory at home over Creighton on Saturday night. This was the Crimson Tide’s first home game in over a month and it lifted Alabama’s record to 5-2 over the last seven contests.
Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide will head back on the road for its next game, but it will be a homecoming for one Alabama player. Forward Grant Nelson grew up less than 100 miles from Grand Forks––the location of the Tide’s next game as it’ll face North Dakota on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Nelson is among several members of the Crimson Tide who didn’t start their collegiate career in Tuscaloosa, as he transferred from North Dakota State before the 2023 season. Nelson shined throughout his time with the Bison, as he landed a spot on the All-Summit League First Team, was on the Summit League All-Defensive Team, and as an underclassman, he won the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year. Additionally, he was named North Dakota Mr. Basketball in 2020 when he was in high school.
Who: No. 7 Alabama (8-2, 0-0 SEC) at North Dakota (4-8, 0-0 Summit League)
When: Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. CT.
Where: Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, Grand Forks, N.D.
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Series vs. North Dakota: This will be the first-ever meeting between Alabama and North Dakota. That said, the Crimson Tide is very unfamiliar with the Summit League as it has only faced two members of the conference. Alabama is tied at 3-3 in the all-time series against South Dakota State and lost its only meeting with Oral Roberts back in 1988.
Last meeting with North Dakota: The Crimson Tide and the Fighting Hawks have never met.
Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide took down Creighton 83-75 on Saturday night in its first home game in over a month. Alabama grabbed a 17-point lead early, but Creighton constantly found ways to keep the game from being blown open and out of reach. Preseason All-American guard Mark Sears turned in his best game of the season after shooting 8-of-15 from the field, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc, plus a 7-of-8 clip from the free-throw line which led to a season-high 27 points. Sears also won tonight’s Hard Hat after tallying the most blue-collar points.
Last time out, North Dakota: The Fighting Hawks fell to UTSA 95-85 on Sunday afternoon. Guard Treysen Eaglestaff and forward Dariyus Woodson’s 47 combined points weren’t enough as the Fighting Hawks struggled defensively. UTSA converted on 51 percent of its field goal attempts, including an incredible 15-of-24 clip from downtown.
Alabama Stat Leaders
North Dakota Stat Leaders
