Nate Oats apologizes for Alabama scoring on final possession of win vs. Vanderbilt

Alabama provided some fireworks in the final seconds of Tuesday’s win against Alabama, with Noah Gurley throwing down a dunk. Just five seconds remained in a 10-point game as an exclamation mark was added against Vanderbilt to extend the lead. But it’s not something head coach Nate Oats exactly wanted.

Oats began his postgame press conference by apologizing to the opposing bench, saying nothing intentional was at play. He did not realize Jerry Stackhouse had told his team to stop fouling. Otherwise, Alabama would have just run out the clock and been satisfied with what they were leaving with in Nashville.

“Apology to Vanderbilt,” Oats said. “I told our guys ‘go play’ in the last 20 seconds. I didn’t realize Vanderbilt told them not to foul but wasn’t something to rub in on them at all. I got all the respect in the world for Coach Stackhouse and the job that they do. So, just want to publically apologize for having our guys go score the last bucket when they kind of conceded the game at that point.”

Alabama has played tough games against Vanderbilt on the road since Oats took over. He and Stackhouse have competed in SEC play and during the SEC Tournament. There seems to be nothing but respective between the two competitors.

“It’s not something that was intentionally done to try to rub anything in,” Oats said. “I think those guys play really hard, I got a ton of respect for them… That wasn’t the intention there.”

Nate Oats connects with Ray Lewis amid Darius Miles situation

Oats revealed Tuesday that he spoke with former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis regarding the arrest of Crimson Tide forward Darius Miles for capital murder Sunday. According to a report from AL.com, Oats was the one to initiate the conversation.

“His daughter went to Alabama a year-and-a-half ago,” Oats said. “He went through a similar situation in Atlanta. He played in the NFL. He told me what he thought guys needed to hear.”

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and two-time Super Bowl champion, Lewis made headlines in 2000 after being charged with murder following the stabbing of two men outside a nightclub in Atlanta. The charges against him were later dropped, and he went on to play 12 more seasons in the league.

Miles allegedly provided the gun that was used in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris. His lawyer released a statement saying Miles maintains his innocence and he was seen leaving the Tuscaloosa City Jail Sunday afternoon.