Nate Oats

Grant Nelson had 23 points and 10 rebounds in his return to his home state and No. 6 Alabama overcame Treysen Eaglestaff’s big night to hold off North Dakota 97-90 on Wednesday night. Mark Sears had 23 points and Labaron Philon added 16 for the Crimson Tide (9-2).

Alabama’s mens’ basketball team is heading north for tomorrow’s game against North Dakota. This game plus matches against Kent State and South Dakota State represent the last chance the Crimson Tide have to tune up their game before facing play in the Southeastern Conference.

Mark Sears scored 27 points and number seven Alabama held off a late comeback try, beating Creighton Saturday night. Sears, a senior guard who added six rebounds and four assists, hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final six minutes and shot 8 for 15 from the field.

The Crimson Tide’s Mens’ basketball team faces the Creighton Bluejays tomorrow. Alabama is working to repeat its success from last year when they made it all the way to the Final Four during March Madness. The Tide is coming off a win over North Carolina who Alabama faced during last year’s Sweet Sixteen.

Mark Sears scored 24 points and No. 9 Alabama beat No. 6 Houston 85-80 in overtime in the opener of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. After squandering an eight-point lead with 8:53 left in the game, and allowing Houston to force overtime, Alabama outscored the Cougars 7-2 in the extra frame for the win.

Grant Nelson scored 23 points and Aden Holloway had 18 to lead No. 8 Alabama to a 100-87 win over No. 25 Illinois in a matchup of Elite Eight teams from last season. Nelson opened the game with three straight 3-pointers. Will Riley led Illinois with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Alabama is coming off the program’s first Final Four run and hoping for even more this season. Coach Nate Oats' team opens the season ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and favored to win the Southeastern Conference championship. Expectations soared when All-America guard Mark Sears and forward Grant Nelson both opted to return.

Alabama is the Southeastern Conference favorite in basketball, not football. John Calipari is leading a team with high expectations, just not at Kentucky. And Texas and Oklahoma are along for the ride now, too.

Two-time reigning national champion UConn is among the teams that have dramatically changed their rosters with transfers during college basketball's open portal window. But, fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball will see some key players wearing different uniforms, thanks to that same transfer portal. The changes follow Alabama’s first ever appearance in the Final Four.

The University of Alabama basketball team is losing players to the NBA Draft and the transfer portal. It may soon gain a point guard.