Alabama and Auburn apparently weren't finished fighting even after the final buzzer sounded Thursday night.
The Crimson Tide escaped Birmingham's Legacy Arena with a thrilling 87-85 exhibition victory over the Tigers, but another heated confrontation between the two rivals quickly overshadowed the final result.
As players gathered near midcourt following Alabama's victory, Auburn guard George Kimble III rushed toward Crimson Tide sophomore standout Amari Allen, sparking another confrontation that required players and coaches to intervene.
The incident immediately raised questions about whether Allen had been punched by the Auburn player.
However, Alabama head coach Nate Oats , who witnessed the confrontation firsthand, offered a different explanation following the game.
Speaking with reporters following Thursday's victory, Oats was asked about the postgame confrontation involving Allen and Kimble.
The Alabama head coach quickly pushed back on the suggestion that his sophomore star had been punched.
"Look, I was standing right there. I don't think he got punched. They pushed him. It was unfortunate that happened to close the game, but he thought he got pushed. I definitely wouldn't call it a punch. So, I mean, maybe you guys have the video. I was standing right there. I thought he just kind of came in and two-hand shoved him, which that's why Steven [and I] just decided to send our guys to the lockers the other way."
Oats' explanation suggests the incident was more of a shove than a punch, although the confrontation certainly added another controversial moment to an already heated rivalry matchup.
For Oats and Auburn head coach Steven Pearl, the priority quickly became getting their players separated and preventing the situation from escalating further.
Thursday night's postgame confrontation was hardly the first time tempers flared between the Crimson Tide and Tigers.
Less than five minutes into the exhibition, players from both teams became involved in a heated scuffle following a battle for a loose ball.
The incident eventually brought Oats and Pearl onto the court, with both coaches attempting to restore order.
Four players received technical fouls following the early confrontation, setting the tone for an extremely physical matchup that felt anything but a preseason exhibition.
And while the intensity occasionally crossed the line, there was no questioning the competitive nature of the game.
For Alabama, Allen was once again at the center of the action, but his performance on the court was far more important than the postgame controversy.
The sophomore finished with a team-high 23 points, including 18 in the second half, helping the Crimson Tide overcome a late deficit to secure the victory.
Freshman Qayden Samuels added 20 points as Alabama completed its exhibition schedule with a perfect 3-0 record.
The Crimson Tide will now turn its attention toward the regular season, which begins Nov. 3 against Sam Houston at Coleman Coliseum.
However, if Thursday night's exhibition proved anything, it's that the Alabama-Auburn basketball rivalry doesn't need regular-season stakes to bring out plenty of emotion.
And judging by what unfolded in Birmingham, the next meeting between these two programs should be must-watch television.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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