The Alabama men’s basketball team will be without junior forward Nick Jacobs for the remainder of the season. The 6-foot-8-inch forward has taken an indefinite leave of absence from basketball activities, coach Anthony Grant announced Wednesday.
“Nick and I met early this week regarding a pattern of behavior and inconsistencies with his responsibilities as a student-athlete,” Grant said in a statement released by UA Athletics. “When addressed with these off-the-court issues, he requested a leave of absence, which I granted. He and I both feel it is in his best interest to step away from the team for the immediate future. We will continue to provide Nick the support and assistance he needs to reassess his priorities and focus on his well-being.”
The Crimson Tide’s first game without Jacobs’ services will be Thursday when the team travels to College Station, Texas, to face the Texas A&M Aggies.
(See also “Alabama men’s basketball team seeking shelter from storm“)
Jacobs has been an integral piece to Alabama’s team on both ends of the court. He saw the court in all 25 of the Crimson Tide’s games this season and averaged 8.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Grant said he is confident with the players who will make their way to Texas.
“We’ve had a good week of practice,” Grant said. “We’ve got a team of guys that’s prepared to go in there and compete and play well, so we’ll go as normal, the normal preparation.”
But not having Jacobs on the floor for Alabama is not normal.
The big man was the Crimson Tide’s third leading scorer behind guards Trevor Releford and Retin Obasohan. Going on the road without one of its best players will be hard for this team to overcome.
Texas A&M boasts a 4-1 record at home against Southeastern Conference opponents, while Alabama has struggled away from Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide is 0-8 in games on the road this season, something Grant said he is aware of.
(See also “Releford, Alabama snap streak“)
“The challenge for us is to go and get a win on the road,” Grant said. “Obviously, that’s been a task that we’ve not been able to get over the hurdle with this year. But I think our guys are looking forward to going on the road and trying to get this win.”
After Thursday’s game, Alabama will travel back to Tuscaloosa to host the Missouri Tigers Saturday.
It is a quick turnaround for the Tide, but it is not an unfamiliar occurrence for this year’s team. Alabama saw another one-day break between games at the end of January with a home loss to Florida on Thursday, Jan. 23, followed by a home victory over LSU on Saturday, Jan. 25.
“They’ve done a pretty good job of being able to turn the page quickly and get prepared for the next task,” Grant said. “We try to take one game at a time. Right now our total focus is on Texas A&M. We’ll have a day to get ready for Missouri, so we’ll be prepared.”
(See also “Men’s basketball team begins crucial stretch against Arkansas“)
