TUSCALOOSA, Ala. The University of Alabama men's basketball team could get a key contributor back into the lineup very soon.

Forward Jordan Bruner, who tore his meniscus on Jan. 12 against Kentucky, is not the brink of returning to action according to coach Nate Oats.

Before his injury, the Yale transfer was averaging 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 13 appearances.

In the game before he suffered the knee issue, he dropped a season-high 20 points and added seven rebounds, three steals and one block in a 94-90 win on the road versus Auburn.

"He is close," Oats told the media via Zoom on Friday afternoon. "He would have been playing already but he had a setback a couple of weeks ago. He's back to where he is shooting this week and he's been able to go through some drills. I think we are going to have some guys warm up tomorrow and see how they feel and go through walkthroughs. We were hoping we could have him back by the Arkansas game.

"It's close. It's very close. He's been in a lot more drills in the last couple days of practice. Up until this week, he hadn't been able to do anything outside of some spot shooting, free throws and some stationary ball-handling. They are amping everything up now. He's close to where he could be back.

"I think it would be great to get him back. He was playing great. I don't know if he can come back and play at the same level when he left but he should be pretty good, I would think."

Oats also noted that the week-long break in between the Crimson Tide's two most recent games has "rested and rejuvenated" the team after Thursday's postponement against Texas A&M.

"When that game got canceled it wasn't the worst thing for us," Oats added. "Herb Jones is still not 100 percent and that gave him a game off. Bruner is still recovering. If that game gets tacked on at the end, hopefully he's close to 100 percent by then... It gives us time to get healed up."

Alabama will face Vanderbilt on Saturday at noon inside Coleman Coliseum and it will be televised on SEC Network. Seven Crimson Tide players will be honored after the game for Senior Day.

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Alabama Basketball's Jordan Bruner On the Brink of Returning to Action: "He's Close" - Bama Maven