Alabama vs. Auburn: Nate Oats gets on PA microphone, implores crowd not to throw objects onto court

During a timeout in the second half of Saturday’s game against Auburn, Alabama head coach Nate Oats took the PA microphone and had a message for the crowd. He told those in attendance not to throw objects onto the court after someone did so during the timeout.

It’s unclear what exactly got thrown onto the court during the timeout, which occurred with 9:27 to play in the second half. Alabama received a warning, and Oats told the fans not to “cost us points.”

“We don’t need you guys costing us points out here. Knock this stuff off,” Oats told the crowd during the break. “We’re going to win the basketball game the right way.”

Nate Oats just got on the PA system and told whoever was throwing stuff on the court to knock it off pic.twitter.com/yLZkVpwBJ1

— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) February 15, 2025

The hype had been building for the Iron Bowl of Basketball all week as the No. 1-seeded Tigers got ready to take on the No. 2-seeded Crimson Tide. It marked the first-ever matchup between the top two teams in the AP poll in SEC history, as well as the first showdown between No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the same state since 2008.

Through the first half, Auburn appeared to be in control, taking a 42-33 lead into the break. But Alabama didn’t back down, tying things up in the second half to make things interesting down the stretch. The Crimson Tide got things to 68-68 at one point before Auburn responded to re-take the lead and, eventually, get a victory in the biggest game of the season to date.

March Madness implications of Alabama vs. Auburn

Auburn came in as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s initial Top 16 seeds reveal on Saturday and Alabama came in as the No. 2 overall seed. That means there were some seeding implications for the showdown, as well.

“You’ve got No. 1 overall and No. 2 overall facing off. And Alabama has closed the gap enough on the Tigers,” ESPN’s Joe Lunardi said at halftime of the Loyola Chicago vs. Saint Louis game on ESPN2 Friday night. “If they’re able to defend their home court and win this game, they will be No. 1 overall in our first bracket next week and that spot has not changed. Auburn has been No. 1 overall since winning the Maui Invitational back before Thanksgiving. In this day and age of college basketball, that just does not happen anymore.

“A lot on the line for those two. … Taking a look at Alabama today, I’m starting to think their second five could make the tournament. They’re that deep.”