Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats updated the statuses of a pair of players ahead of the Crimson Tide's SEC opener. The Tide tips off conference play against Oklahoma on Saturday.

The Tide was without freshman forward Derrion Reid and Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette for its last game, a 105-82 win over South Dakota State last Sunday. Reid missed the game with an ankle injury, while Mallette was out with an illness.

When speaking to reporters Tuesday, Oats said both players have been back at practice this week and should be available for the Tide's first conference game of the season barring any setbacks.

"Derrion and Houston both practiced today," Oats said. "Houston, it was just an illness so he's trying to get his wind back, get his energy back. So, he'll be available, probably not quite as much in the past just because he's still coming off the illness."

"Derrion with the ankle injury looked better today than yesterday. So, they'll both in all likelihood be available unless there's some type of flare-up in practice that I don't anticipate."

Reid, a five-star freshman in the Class of 2024, has appeared in 12 games this season with three starts. He is averaging 7.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists in his first college season. Mallette has appeared in four games since coming off his redshirt and is averaging 4.8 points and three rebounds per game.

The SEC will release its first-ever availability report Friday night ahead of Saturday's conference games. SEC football teams had to begin submitting reports this season and basketball will do the same, indicating player's statuses as either available, probable, questionable, doubtful or out. The report is expected to be released around 7 p.m. CT. A gameday update will be released two hours before tipoff on Saturday.

Alabama (11-2) will face Oklahoma (13-0) in its first SEC matchup. The Tide and Sooners will square off at 5 p.m. CT Saturday inside Coleman Coliseum.