Alabama Basketball Set to Battle Two Former Players in Oklahoma Game

The Crimson Tide will go head-to-head with outgoing transfer forwards Derrion Reid and Mohamed Wague on Saturday.

OU forward Derrion Reid, right, dribbles next to forward Mohamed Wague during practice for the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. | NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It's hard to argue against the narrative that NIL and the transfer portal are today's hottest topics in college sports.

Thousands of student-athletes leave their schools for a combination of factors, and for basketball, an opportunity for more playing time and a more impactful role are among the most common reasons.

No. 18 Alabama men's basketball is set to face Oklahoma on the road on Saturday, and it'll go head-to-head with outgoing transfer forwards Derrion Reid and Mohamed Wague. Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats detailed his evaluations of these two Sooners, as Reid went to OU this offseason and Wague is currently in his second season there.

"I mean, they're both getting better," Oats said during Friday's press conference. "They got a lot more experience. Derrion's a sophomore instead of a freshman. He's been able to settle in and get more minutes. He's attacking the rim and he's shooting it pretty well. He plays hard like he always did for us.

"Mo is a similar player, just with more experience. So he's better. I mean, he's a shot blocker, rebounder, he's averaging four offensive rebounds a game in SEC play. He plays hard. He kind of fills the same role for them that he did for us, he's just able to play a little bit more and get some more experience in it.

"So, those guys will be ready to go, I'm sure. They're good players. They're giving Oklahoma quality minutes this year."

Reid, a McDonald's All-American, dealt with a hamstring injury for a good chunk of the 2024-25 season as he missed 13 total games during his freshman campaign. Reid averaged 6.0 points in 14 minutes per contest at UA. A solid argument could be made that his best performance with the Crimson Tide came in the statement 94-79 road win against North Carolina in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 4, 2024.

Reid has started in every game for OU this season, as he's tallied 11.4 points, the fourth-most on the team, in 25.5 minutes per game.

Wague was a member of the 2023-24 Final Four team and averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game during his 33 contests (eight starts) in Tuscaloosa. Perhaps his best performance with the Crimson Tide came against Arkansas State on Dec. 4, 2023, when he tallied 12 points, seven rebounds (five offensive), four steals and three blocks.

Wague has also started in evert game this season and is currently leads Oklahoma in rebounds per game with 7.2, including 3.2 on the offensive glass.

Oklahoma leads Alabama 7-4 in the all-time series. This includes a 0-5 away record for Alabama, as it eyes its first-ever win in Norman.

"It has not been an easy place for us to go and they don't lose much at home," Oats said. "I think they've only lost one home game all year. So, this is not going to be an easy game. We're down men again, but I think us being down has galvanized the group that's playing.

"They've got one of the best scorers in college basketball in Nijel Pack, who is one of three active players to have 2,000 career points. ... Coach [Porter] Moser has coached a Final Four team. He's done a great job. They're well-coached, they've got good talent, they play hard and they're going to be hungry."

Saturday's game is set for 12 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Can Alabama get the job done?

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