Bama Central

Nate Oats Sends Message to Alabama Fans Before Auburn Game

The Crimson Tide head coach calls for the fanbase to be respectful in Saturday's rivalry matchup with the Tigers.
Katie Windham|
Alabama head coach Nate Oats calls out the referee in the second half of the game against Clemson on Dec. 3, 2025.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats calls out the referee in the second half of the game against Clemson on Dec. 3, 2025. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

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Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Nate Oats has fully integrated himself into the Alabama Auburn rivalry and has been a big part of taking the series to new heights on the hardwood with the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup last season. Oats has also had a lot of success in the matchup with an 8-5 record overall and 4-2 record at home inside Coleman Coliseum.

No. 16 Alabama (22-8, 12-5 SEC) will close out the regular season against Auburn (16-14, 7-10 SEC) this Saturday at home. The Crimson Tide is playing for a 2-seed in the SEC tournament while the Tigers are fighting to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive. Alabama won the matchup down in Auburn earlier this season, and there is no love lost between the two fanbases as evidenced by the shirt thrown at Oats as he exited the court back in early February.

While Oats will be coaching hard down on the court, he wants to make sure the fans in the stands of Coleman Coliseum are acting with class during the heated rivalry on Saturday.

"I’d just say to our fans, I appreciate the rivalry as much as anybody that probably didn’t grow up in the state of Alabama does," Oats said after Friday's practice. "I don’t like these guys. We want to beat ‘em as much as we can beat them by every time we play them. That road win at their place last year on their senior night was one of the best wins we’ve ever had. I’m sure they’re trying to repay us for it. I’d just ask the fans to remember that we are Alabama, that we show class here.

"As many great wins as we’ve had since I’ve been here in any sport, Alabama’s never rushed the floor because we expect to win, and we know how to act with class when we win. We also know how to act with class during the game. So let’s make sure that the cheering— while we despise Auburn— let’s be respectful in our chants, cheers and everything tomorrow in the game. We can be as loud as anybody in the country. We can be the best fans in the country and still be respectful. That’s what I’d expect out of our fans.”

WATCH: Nate Oats' Friday press conference before the Iron Bowl of Basketball

Alabama and Auburn are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff on ESPN.

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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball, gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports.

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