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The Tuscaloosa News
Why did Alabama basketball HC Nate Oats say he 'screwed up' against Purdue?
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Why did Alabama basketball HC Nate Oats say he 'screwed up' against Purdue?
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Alabama basketball freshman Aiden Sherrell only saw two minutes of playing time at Purdue.
That wasn't the experience of fellow Crimson Tide rookies like Derrion Reid, who got 13 minutes, or Labaron Philon, who made the starting five and emerged as UA's top scorer in an 87-78 loss on the road last Friday.
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Sitting the 6-foot-10, 240 pound big man upon entering the game for Rutgers grad transfer Clifford Omoruyi was warranted when it happened, but coach Nate Oats knew that Sherrell shouldn't have stayed on the bench after he was subbed out with more than 13 minutes to halftime.
The sixth-year skipper put it simply during Tuesday press conferences at Coleman Coliseum ahead of No. 7 Alabama's top 20 matchup against No. 20 Illinois (3-0) in the C.M. Newton Classic .
Nov 4, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell (22) pulls a rebound against UNC Asheville at Coleman Coliseum.
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Alabama basketball's Nate Oats admits fault in handling of Aiden Sherrell at Purdue
"I screwed up, to be honest with you," Oats told media. He also said he told Sherrell that he, "should've gotten more minutes."
Oats recalled seeing Sherrell feeling overcome by an electric, deafening environment as Alabama (3-1) faced its first ranked opponent of the season in Mackey Arena, saying he "didn't really look like he was necessarily ready for it" after drawing a pair of quick and costly personal fouls.
However, when Oats went back to watch the tape and relived Alabama's struggles against 6-foot-9, 230 pound forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who dropped 26 against the Crimson Tide, he realized he should've given Sherrell another shot.
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On the season, the Prolific Prep product saw a game-high 17 minutes in the opener against UNC-Asheville, registering six points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Oats said he told Sherrell, "Look man, if you felt like you could guard him, feel free to tell me during the game, like 'Give me a shot. Give me two minutes and I'll shut him down.' "
Still, Oats lamented not just asking the No. 4 center of the 2024 recruiting class to come back into the game himself. Especially in moments like the second half when Alabama couldn't capitalize on a six-point lead midway through as Omoruyi found himself in foul trouble after an injury scare earlier in the period.
"His attitude's great. I love him," Oats said of Sherrell. "He makes you want to play him more because he's just come in and worked really hard the last three days, and I would anticipate him getting a lot more minutes than that this next game."
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Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball HC Nate Oats said he 'screwed up' against Purdue
