TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā Alabama coach Nate Oats apologized and took responsibility for allowing freshman forward Brandon Miller to continue going through a pat-down during pregame introductions.
Miller had received the pat-down upon his introduction well before the Jan. 15 arrest of then-teammate Darius Miles and another man on capital murder charges in the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. Then, police testimony last week accused the second-ranked Crimson Tide's biggest star of delivering Milesā gun, though his attorney said he never handled it and didnāt know it was going to be used for a crime.
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āThat situationās on me,ā Oats said on Tuesday of the pregame ritual. āWe addressed it as a team. As soon as I brought it up to them, they immediately understood how it could be interpreted, and we all felt awful about it.
āThey explained to me that itās like when TSA checks you when you get on a plane. And now Brandonās cleared for takeoff. We as the adults in the room should have been more sensitive to how it could have been interpreted. I dropped the ball. Thatās it, I dropped the ball on it. I can assure you it wonāt happen again.ā
Miller, who has started every game, hasnāt been charged and the university said he is a cooperating witness, not a suspect.
The Tide can clinch the Southeastern Conference regular season title outright with a win Wednesday night against rival Auburn. Miller is the SEC's leading scorer and fifth-leading rebounder, averaging 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
He scored 41 points against South Carolina a day after the courtroom testimony linking Miller to the scene, and then added 24 against Arkansas. Miller wasn't named SEC player of the week or freshman of the week.
Oats was asked if he felt backlash is affecting Miller's chances for in-season or postseason accolades, and said he didn't know the answer.
āIn the SEC, theyāve got to make tough decisions every week as to who gets it,ā he said. āThere was great players that got the award. Brandon had a good week. Iām sure heāll get awards moving forward. Weāll address that as it comes up."
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