Nate Oats Reflects on Alabama’s Late-Game Collapse in 94-85 IBOB Loss, Acknowledges Auburn’s Performance but Expresses Frustration with His Team

Alabama head coach Nate Oats didn’t mince words following his team’s 94-85 loss to Auburn, a game in which the Crimson Tide faltered down the stretch. Despite a competitive effort for most of the contest, Alabama’s late-game struggles allowed Auburn to pull away, leaving Oats visibly frustrated with his squad’s execution.

“We had opportunities to close this game out, and we didn’t take advantage,” Oats said in his postgame press conference. “Credit to Auburn—they played hard and executed when it mattered. But we have to be better. We made too many mistakes in key moments.”

Alabama led for stretches in the second half but saw its advantage slip away due to turnovers, defensive lapses, and missed shots in crunch time. Auburn capitalized, going on a decisive run in the final minutes that sealed the victory.

Oats pointed to a lack of composure and execution as the primary culprits for Alabama’s collapse. “We didn’t take care of the basketball. We had way too many turnovers, and our shot selection late in the game wasn’t where it needed to be. You can’t win games like this when you don’t execute.”

Despite the frustration, Oats acknowledged Auburn’s strong performance. “They played with great energy, and their defense gave us problems. We knew they were going to bring it, and unfortunately, we didn’t respond the way we needed to.”

The loss is a setback for Alabama, which remains in a competitive battle for positioning in the SEC standings. Oats made it clear that improvements are necessary moving forward.

“We have to learn from this. The season isn’t over, but we need to clean up our mistakes quickly. If we want to achieve our goals, we have to be better in these situations.”

With key matchups ahead, Alabama will look to regroup and regain its momentum. For now, Oats and his team will have to reflect on a missed opportunity against their in-state rivals.