Alabama Still Uncertain if G Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Will Play

Alabama First Round Postgame Press Conference - 2024 NCAA Tournament | Coach Nate Oats

Alabama First Round Postgame Press Conference - 2024 NCAA Tournament | Coach Nate Oats | Image: March Madness/YouTube

The status of guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. for Alabama remains uncertain as he continues to battle a concussion. Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats mentioned on Wednesday that a final decision regarding his availability will be made before the Sweet 16 match against top-seeded North Carolina on Thursday.

Wrightsell sustained the injury in the initial half of the 72-61 victory over Grand Canyon during the West Region second-round clash on Sunday.

“Latrell is being re-evaluated by the medical staff every day, and he’s basically on a day-to-day basis now,” Oats said during a press conference in Los Angeles. “I’m not sure if he’ll be available or not. They’ll let us know tomorrow. Other than that, we’re healthy.”

This marks the second head injury Wrightsell has encountered recently, having previously missed four games towards the end of the season due to a concussion.

Wrightsell plays a vital role in Alabama’s offense, which tops the nation in scoring with an average of 90.7 points per game. He has averaged 9.0 points and boasts a 44.3% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc (66 of 149) in 30 matches (12 as a starter).

Alabama’s forward Nick Pringle expressed confidence that regardless of the outcome on Thursday, the No. 5 seeded Crimson Tide (23-11) will be prepared.

“I honestly think Latrell will be fine,” Pringle said. “I think we’ll still have a great game plan, if he plays or not. I think he will definitely play. But I think we’ll still have a great game plan. We have a lot of great players and a lot of great coaches that can make adjustments and be able to make it happen.”

Wrightsell previously played three seasons for Cal State Fullerton before making the move to Alabama post the last season.

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    Seattle and Grand Canyon will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and moving to the West Coast Conference starting July 2025.

    The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

    Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.

    As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

    Saint Mary’s is currently a member of the West Coast Conference.

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    The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

    The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

    Following the departures of Sam Houston and New Mexico State last year, Seattle and Grand Canyon’s exit from the WAC will reduce the conference’s membership to just eight by July 2025.

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    Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

    Notable alternatives that Jones purportedly pondered were New Mexico, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago.

    During the previous season with the Titans, Jones maintained an average of 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games, in which he started 21. He secured the second-highest scoring position within the team, alongside being the second in 3-pointers with 42 baskets and 41 steals.

    In the season prior, Jones held an average of 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games, amassing 34 three-pointers and 30 steals.

    Before making his way to Cal State Fullerton post the 2021-22 season, Jones spent two years at Division II Tampa, where he managed to achieve an average of 21.9 points across 21 games during his sophomore year with the Spartans.

    In the recent offseason, Kansas State acquired Dug McDaniel, a former player from Michigan recognized as one of the premier point guards available in this year’s transfer portal.

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    Stanford Names Basketball Court in Honor of Tara VanDerveer

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    Tara VanDerveer’s legacy at Stanford will now be visibly acknowledged, with the school revealing on Thursday that the basketball arena’s floor will bear the name of the esteemed Hall of Fame coach.

    At the age of 70, VanDerveer stepped down following her 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal.

    She steered Stanford to 14 Final Fours and secured three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). VanDerveer embarked on her coaching journey at Idaho (1978-80) and later coached at Ohio State (1980-85).

    In January, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski to clinch the title of the most successful college basketball coach in history, across both men’s and women’s teams. VanDerveer concluded with a remarkable 1,216-271 record, boasting a 1,064-220 tally with the Cardinal.

    Alongside the unveiling of the Tara VanDerveer Court at Maples Pavilion this November, Stanford also established an endowed position in women’s basketball for an assistant coach in VanDerveer’s honor.

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    Last month, Stanford appointed Kate Paye, one of VanDerveer’s longtime assistant coaches who played for the Cardinal from 1991-95 and began coaching under VanDerveer in 2007, as the new head coach.

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