Grant Nelson made himself a part of University of Alabama hoops history with his dominant performance against North Carolina on Thursday night.
Now the senior forward is hoping for an even bigger basketball breakthrough: a first trip to the NCAA tournament’s Final Four for the Crimson Tide.
Even though Alabama has relied on guards Aaron Estrada and Mark Sears for most of the season, Nelson’s performance in the final 10 minutes of the team’s 89-87 victory over the top-seeded Tar Heels in the Sweet 16 is why the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide (24-11) will face No. 6 seed Clemson (24-11) in Saturday night’s West Region final.
Nelson became the first player since UCLA’s Kevin Love in 2008 to have at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in an NCAA tourney game. He said it was a way of repaying the confidence he had from friends and teammates, even though he didn’t think he deserved it at times.
“Even before this game, just making it to the tournament and winning the first two games, I’ve been getting a lot of love even though I feel like I didn’t perform how I should have. I feel like I let my teammates down,” said Nelson, who had 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.