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It will be tough for No. 24 Alabama to repeat last year’s historic success as the 2023-24 campaign opens with a home date against Morehead State on Monday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Head coach Nate Oats has built the Crimson Tide into a powerhouse and expectations are high following a 2022-23 season that ended with a 31-6 overall record, a 16-2 mark in the SEC and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Alabama was bounced in the Sweet 16 by No. 5 seed San Diego State 71-64, and the Crimson Tide got a complete makeover in the offseason despite a few veteran holdovers returning.
One of those veterans is guard Mark Sears, who started all 37 games a year ago and averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while earning All-SEC second team honors.
Guard Rylan Griffen (5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds) and forward Nick Pringle (3.5 points, 3.1 rebounds) also saw significant action a year ago.
Hofstra transfer Aaron Estrada and Cal State Fullerton transfer Latrell Wrightsell Jr. are two guards who are expected to be big-time contributors in the backcourt, while North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson is a big (6-foot-11, 230 pounds) and versatile player who will be used in a variety of ways.
True freshmen forwards Sam Walters and Jarin Stevenson are also expected to play major roles after impressing in the preseason.
In the 88-80 loss at Wake Forest in Alabama’s final preseason exhibition game, Estrada, Nelson, Pringle and Walters all scored in double digits. Estrada scored a team-high 24 points and added six rebounds and three assists. The Crimson Tide were an uncharacteristic 1-of-10 from 3-point range in the second half, but did outscore the Demon Deacons’ bench 24-6 for the game.
“I am disappointed with today’s result and how complacent we got after leading by 19 points towards the end of the first half,” Oats said. “We have a lot to clean up before the season opener so we will get back in the gym and gear up for Morehead State.”
Morehead State won the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title outright a season ago for the first time since the 1983-84 season. But the Eagles were dealt a severe blow when it was announced that guard Mark Freeman, the preseason OVC Player of the Year, would likely miss the entire season due to a wrist injury.
Freeman averaged 15.0 points and 3.7 assists per game during the 2022-23 season and led Morehead State to a 22-12 overall record (14-4 OVC).
On the bright side, Morehead State does return guard Drew Thelwell, who averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season. Like Freeman, Thelwell was named to the preseason All-OVC team by the league’s coaches and media.
“To be honest, I don’t know what the backcourt is going to look like,” Thelwell said about the loss of Freeman. “But I know that whoever’s out there is going to give it their all, 100 percent effort. I do know that. That’s the standard we’ve created.”
–Field Level Media