The Southeastern Conference (SEC) sent University of Alabama head basketball coach Nate Oats a "public reprimand" for "making physical contact with an opposing team's student-athlete during Alabama's game against Missouri Tuesday night."
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey announced the rebuke on Wednesday after the head coach was seen separating Alabama's Aaron Estrada and Missouri's Aidan Shaw, who was among almost the entire Crimson Tide bench during a scuffle the night before.
"Nate Oats' actions were unacceptable and violated the expectations for conduct and sportsmanship as established by the membership of the Southeastern Conference," Sankey stated. "Under no circumstances should a coach make intentional contact with a student-athlete on an opposing team."
Following Tuesday's 93-75 win over Missouri, Oats said he apologized to both Shaw and Missouri coach Dennis Gates for putting his hands on the player.
"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.
"No disrespect to him or his program," he added. "I apologized to both Coach Gates and Aidan Shaw. ... Aidan seems like a great kid. It's an unfortunate situation, but I apologized to both of them."
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