Grant Nelson’s outstanding performance against North Carolina cemented his place in Alabama basketball history.
The senior forward is now aiming for an even greater achievement: the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four.
The fourth-seeded Crimson Tide (24-11) will play No. 6 seed Clemson (24-11) in Saturday night’s West Region final, despite Alabama’s reliance on guards Mark Sears and Aaron Estrada for the majority of the season. Nelson’s performance in the last 10 minutes of Thursday night’s 89-87 victory over the top-seeded Tar Heels is the reason for this.
Nelson made history by becoming the first player to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Love of UCLA in 2008. Even though he occasionally felt he didn’t deserve the confidence he received from friends and teammates, he claimed it was his way of giving it back.
Nelson made history by becoming the first player to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Love of UCLA in 2008. Even though he occasionally felt he didn’t deserve the confidence he received from friends and teammates, he claimed it was his way of giving it back.
Despite his lack of confidence prior to Thursday night, coach Nate Oats was always a vital source of encouragement for Nelson.
When we received him, Oats remarked, “I knew what he was capable of.” “Grant Nelson ought to perform admirably. He puts in a lot of work. All this year, he has been all about the right things. He perseveres despite his difficulties.
Nelson played three seasons at North Dakota State before moving to Alabama. Before things started to go wrong, he had at least 20 points in three of his first five games.
Due to foul issues, the 6-foot-11 forward found it difficult to stay on the floor. During the regular season, Nelson fouled out in six games and had 11 instances where his foul total exceeded his number of field goals.
Thursday night, Armando Bacot of North Carolina, who was 8 of 18 from the field, was no match for Nelson. Additionally, he occasionally shifted to RJ Davis on the outside and recorded two crucial stops.
