Grant Nelson, 2020 North Dakota Mr. Basketball from Devils Lake High School, tallied 24 points and 12 rebounds to help No. 4 seed Alabama beat No. 1 North Carolina in the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 on Thursday. Nelson converted a three-point play at the low block with 38 seconds remaining to give the Crimson Tide an 86-85 lead en route to an 89-87 victory, sending Alabama to the Elite Eight.
Nelson made 6 of 9 shots, both of his three-point attempts and 10 of 13 free throws. He also posted a game-high five blocks.
Nelson played three seasons at NDSU before transferring to the SEC for his senior campaign. He attended the NBA Draft combine last summer and drew mixed reviews from scouts. Thursday’s dynamic performance is sure to turn some heads.
Nelson and the Tide face No. 6 seed Clemson at 7:49 p.m. Monday on TBS, with a trip to the Final Four hanging in the balance.
