Alabama men's basketball head coach Nate Oats shoved Missouri player Aidan Shaw in the first half of the Crimson Tide's 93-75 victory Tuesday night.
Players from Alabama and Missouri were tied up right in front of the Crimson Tide bench with 7:34 left in the first half. Oats stepped on the ground in front of one of his players and pushed Shaw back.
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Alabama head coach Nate Oats speaks with an official during the game against Missouri at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on January 16, 2024. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports)
No technical fouls were called during the play, but the coach drew the ire of Missouri fans for the incident.
Oats, who earned his 200th career victory, said he apologized to Shaw and Tigers coach Dennis Gates.
“I have all the respect in the world for the job. [Gates has] done as an assistant and head coach,” Oats said after the game, via ESPN. “No disrespect to him or his program. I apologized to both Coach Gates and Aidan Shaw. Aidan seems like a great kid. “It's an unfortunate situation, but I apologize to both of them.”
Gates confirmed Oats' apology and questioned why a technical foul was not assessed.
MARYLAND'S JULIAN REESE, ILLINOIS ASSISTANT COACH, FOUND IN AN ALTERCATION DURING THE LINE-UP OF THE HANDSHAKE
Alabama head coach Nate Oats talks to his team during a timeout as they play against Missouri at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports)
“Nate apologized after the game,” Gates said. “But I just posed the question: If they were players in a huddle with a hand on an opponent, what would happen? It would be an automatic technical foul, right? I thought I saw two referees in the huddle. It wasn't like that.” “It's not a technical foul. But that's the question I would ask. If players made contact with their hands, what would happen?”
Under SEC rules, coaches are among those who “are expected to conduct themselves with honesty, integrity and good sportsmanship and, therefore, must show respect and courtesy toward student-athletes, coaches and game officials.” “opponents game.”
Aaron Estrada and Rylen Griffin led Alabama with 21 points each. Estrada added eight rebounds and four assists, while Griffen had five rebounds and three assists.
Missouri's Tamar Bates scored 19 points and Nick Honor added 18.
January 16, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States; Alabama guard Aaron Estrada drives around Missouri forward Aidan Shaw, #23, in his game at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on January 16, 2024. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports)
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Alabama moved to 12-5 on the year and 4-0 against SEC opponents. Missouri fell to 8-9 and 0-4 in SEC play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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