No. 18 Alabama hopes for key return in encounter vs. Oklahoma

Alabama is hoping to have at least one more player available Saturday when it takes on Oklahoma in Norman, Okla.

The 18th-ranked Crimson Tide (12-5, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) recorded a 97-82 win over Mississippi State on Tuesday despite having just eight scholarship players available.

While several of the players who missed the game also will be out against the Sooners, Alabama coach Nate Oats said he was hopeful 6-foot-10 junior Taylor Bol Bowen could return.

Bol Bowen, who is averaging 9.0 points and 5.6 rebounds, missed the win over the Bulldogs with a left hand injury.

He could be a key against the Sooners (11-6, 1-3), who struggled to handle interior size during Tuesday's 96-79 loss to Florida.

"He's done a complete 180 in the last month," Oats said of Bol Bowen. "He was part of our rebounding issues, not rebounding well at all a month ago. He has completely turned into one of our toughest players."

Oats said Bol Bowen pushed to play against Mississippi State, though his hand was bruised and swollen.

If Bol Bowen is able to play against the Sooners, it's likely he'll wear some type of pad on the injured hand.

"He's gotten much tougher, he's gotten more vocal and his leadership has turned up," Oats said.

Alabama is looking to continue its momentum after Tuesday's road win, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

After Saturday's game, the Crimson Tide have a week off before their next game, which Oats said should give several more injured players a chance to return.

Alabama is led by Labaron Philon, who is averaging 21.9 points and 4.9 assists. Philon is coming off a career-high 32-point performance in Tuesday's win.

Aden Holloway is averaging 18.4 points and 3.7 assists for the Crimson Tide.

While Alabama is looking to continue its momentum, Oklahoma is looking to turn around its fortunes.

The Sooners have dropped three consecutive games on the heels of winning five in a row.

Oklahoma hopes to get more out of senior guard Nijel Pack, who is coming off a season-low five points in Tuesday's loss.

Pack and Xzayvier Brown lead Oklahoma with 15.7 points per game, with Brown adding 3.2 assists and Pack 3.1.

One of the things the Sooners are hoping will continue is the development of 6-foot-11 center Kirill Elatontsev.

Elatontsev joined Oklahoma in late December after being ruled eligible for the second semester by the NCAA. He scored just eight total points during his first four games before erupting for 17 -- highlighted by four 3-pointers -- against the Gators.

"Hopefully we can build off that with him," Sooners coach Porter Moser said. "... I think every day is getting more comfortable. You can just see it."

Moser said the Sooners could continue to use a two-big look with Elatontsev and 6-foot-10 Mohamed Wague together on the floor, which they did some against Florida.

"We've got to play the best players on the floor," Moser said. "Right now we've got some guys that we need to play better. Whatever the combination is. If the combination is two centers that are giving us a chance to win and compete and rebound in the SEC, then we're going to do that."

--Field Level Media