The last time Grant Nelson took the floor against North Dakota, he posted a career-high 36 points while leading North Dakota State to a 91–75 victory during the 2022-23 season. The graduate forward has a much better supporting cast now at Alabama, but he’ll be looking to put up another big performance when the No. 6 Crimson Tide makes a rare trip to the Great Plains this week.

Shortly after Nelson elected to return to Alabama for his final season, North Dakota basketball coach Jamie Stevens picked up the phone and asked if Nate Oats would be interested in scheduling a homecoming game for the Devils Lake, North Dakota native. A few moments later, the trip up north was drawn up.

Alabama will travel to North Dakota on Wednesday as part of a two-for-one deal that will see the Fighting Hawks come to Tuscaloosa in 2025 and 2027. Since learning about the news this spring, Nelson has had the unexpected homecoming game circled on his calendar.

“It shows how much this coaching staff cares about the players, and I really appreciate that,” Nelson said Tuesday. “I know my family does, and everyone back in North Dakota, they’re really excited for this one.”

Nelson is no stranger to the UND program. He grew up attending the Fighting Hawks’ basketball camps over the summer and they were the first team to offer him out of high school.

Nelson is also familiar with UND on the court. During his three seasons with North Dakota State from 2020-23, the 6-foot-11 forward is 6-1 against UND, with his only defeat coming in an overtime loss in his freshman season.

Nelson averaged 16.8 points and 5.28 rebounds while shooting 56% from the floor, including 10 of 21 (47.6%) from beyond the arc in those seven games. That includes his last outing against the Fighting Hawks when he dropped 36 points and seven boards while shooting 13 of 20 from the floor.

“Now he’s probably got a little bit more balanced team he’s running in there with this time,” Oats said Tuesday. “Not sure he’s gonna match the 36, but I think he’s excited.”

Still, Nelson will do his best to put on a show for his hometown crowd. And there’s expected to be plenty of supporters in attendance.

Nelson said Alabama provided him with extra tickets to pass out for the game. However, those were snatched up quickly by his nine other siblings as well as other family members and friends.

“I could still use tons, really,” Nelson said when asked about tickets. “There’s people asking my parents, people asking everybody. But they treated me well. They gave me a ton, so I think I have enough for close family and a lot of people from by hometown.”

Devils Lake is roughly 90 miles from the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center where Alabama will take on UND on Wednesday night. While Nelson knows he’ll be under a spotlight for the matchup, the extra eyeballs aren’t giving him any butterflies.

“I’ve played there a ton, at UND,” Nelson said. “I’m kinda used to it. Every time I play there, it’s like an hour and a half from my hometown, so there’s a lot of my family there. So it’s kind of bringing me back to when I did play at North Dakota State. … It’s definitely going to be ramped up a little, but I’m not nervous. I’m kinda excited.”

While Wednesday's matchup will stir up plenty of fond memories for Nelson, it could be a rude awakening for the rest of his Alabama teammates. The forecast calls for 15-degree weather in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Wednesday, a stark contrast from the 73-degree temperature back in Tuscaloosa.

“I told the guys, bring a coat,” Nelson said with a smile. “Bring some gloves, whatever they need to stay warm.”

Oats, a Watertown, Wisconsin native, has braved a few cold winters himself. However, even he admits the cold weather will be a change in what he’s grown accustomed to since taking the Alabama job.

“[Grant’s] dad sent me a text showing me the lake and the ice depth and you get your vehicles out on the lake that’s kinda going back where I grew up, you can get some ice fishing, drive your truck right onto the lake in winter and drill a hole down through all the ice and do some ice fishing,” Oats said. “So, I don’t know that we’re gonna get out and do some ice fishing up there but I don’t mind being up there for a little bit.

“I’m not planning on moving back up North where you gotta deal with the cold and ice the entire winter. It’s kinda nice down here where it's 70 degrees. But Grant’s fired up. It’ll be good to see his family, be good for him to see his family and hopefully we can go up there and get better at basketball as well.”

Alabama (8-2) will take on UND (4-8) at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The game will aired on CBS Sports Network.