LOS ANGELES — Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats was walking to his postgame news conference Thursday night when he glanced at the box score from his team’s victory over North Carolina for the first time.
Even he seemed surprised by the extent of the damage that forward Grant Nelson inflicted on the top-seeded Tar Heels.
Turning to Nelson, Oats chuckled and said, “24, 12 and 5? Not a bad stat line.”
The North Dakota State transfer sheepishly smiled and agreed he had a pretty good night.
Nelson’s performance in Alabama’s 89-87 Sweet 16 victory is one that will live on in NCAA tournament lore.