Latest on Alabama basketball's Brandon Miller injury ahead of Maryland in NCAA Tournament

Nick Kelly, The Tuscaloosa News
·2 min read
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BIRMINGHAM — As Alabama basketball prepares to face Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, Brandon Miller's availability is the top question. He's dealing with a groin injury.

The Crimson Tide tried to play him limited minutes in the win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Alabama coach Nate Oats said Miller is being held out of live drills in practice. But he expects Miller to be available Saturday (8:45 p.m. CT, TBS) for the game at Legacy Arena.

"I think he's going to be all right," Oats said. "He seemed like he was moving all right. It obviously bothered him. He didn't shoot it particularly well, but he seemed like he was moving decent. So he's just got to get his confidence back that he could play with it."

Miller said he's taking it day-by-day and keeping heat on it. He said he has pain all around the groin area.

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"Trying not to do too much and injure it some more," Miller said. "I think you know when you’re doing too much, when something is really just aggravating you. When it gets real bothered, I try not to force anything and make it worse."

Miller finished 0-for-5 with five rebounds, three assists and one block against the Islanders on Thursday over 19 minutes.

Miller was asked if he feels he's 100%.

"I'm always going to tell you I'm 100%," Miller said. "Right now, I'm 100%."

Oats said Miller has been nursing the injury since Sunday in the SEC Tournament.

"Hopefully all the non-live stuff he does today in practice, he can get to where he's moving well, shooting it well, and then be ready to go," Oats said. "It obviously wasn't one of his better games to open, but I think knowing Brandon and how tough he is, physically, mentally, I think he'll be ready to go tomorrow."

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Brandon Miller injury: Update on Alabama star vs Maryland in NCAAs