Alabama Guard Out For Preseason Scrimmage

The No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program is set for its final preseason scrimmage this Sunday as they'll head up to Winston-Salem, N.C., to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Alabama already played the TCU Horned Frogs in a closed scrimmage this past Sunday and lost 85-81. The Crimson Tide was without Mark Sears, Davin Cosby, Mouhamed Dioubate and Mohamed Wague for that scrimmage.

According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports Alabama will be without at least Mark Sears this weekend as he continues to nurse a groin injury.

Alabama's Mark Sears (groin) is OUT for Sunday's charity exhibition against Wake Forest, per Nate Oats.

Sears also DNP in last week's "Secret Scrimmage" against TCU.

Averaged 12.5 PPG last season.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 27, 2023

Sears is one of the Tide's few returning players with experience from last year, having started all 37 games in 2022-23. The guard out of Muscle Shoals, Ala. averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last year.

He, along with sophomore Rylan Griffen and senior Nick Pringle are the only contributors returning from last year's team.

The 6-foot-1 guard is expected to be ready to play unhindered in the Crimson Tide's season opening game against Morehead State on Nov. 6 in Tuscaloosa.

There is no further update on Cosby, Dionate or Wague.

Alabama will likely play a bit bigger lineup on Sunday with Sears unavailable. Guard Aaron Estrada will likely command the offense along with Latrell Wrightsell. They'll be most likely joined by forwards Grant Nelson, Rylan Griffen and Sam Walters, however head coach Nate Oats could opt for a number of different starting combinations.

The Crimson Tide is quite deep this season and a number of players should see action this weekend as Alabama prepares for a new season.