The Alabama Crimson Tide lost to the Tennessee Volunteers in the most painful way, as they conceded a buzzer-beater three-pointer when the game seemed destined for overtime. After the game, head coach Nate Oats took the fall for his players, with a very harsh and self-critical statement.
College basketball never fails to provide with insane finishes and electric moments. The biggest moment of the weekend took place at Food City Center in Knoxville, as the No. 5 Volunteers defeated No. 4 Crimson Tide in epic fashion.
With the game tied at 76 and 3.8 seconds left on the clock, Bama failed to inbound the ball from the Vols’ endline within five seconds, conceding a crucial final possession to Tennessee.
However, the Vols still had to race the length of the court for a chance. Alabama, however, played it too conservatively, allowing Jahmai Mashack to launch a desperation heave from the logo. His prayer was answered, and the arena erupted as the three-pointer beat the buzzer. It would have been easy to point the finger at any player for their coverage on the play, but Oats fell on his sword.
Head Coach Nate Oats of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on March 01, 2025 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
“I’m gonna take most of the blame for the last 30 seconds. It’s on me,” Oats confessed postgame, via On3. “I subbed our bigs out to get the rebound before I should have. I shouldn’t have subbed them out until after we secured the rebound. So that was on me. And then I had a chance to call a timeout and at four, I should have called it.“
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Practice makes perfect
Alabama looked unprepared in the final moments of a crucial NCAA matchup, as the loss to Tennessee could prove costly ahead of the SEC Tournament. However, Nate Oats believed the defeat came down to his own decisions in the clutch.
“We work on end-of-game situations in practice and expect our players to be good at them, and I was not good for the last 30 seconds today. I feel like I failed these guys. For 39 and a half minutes, they out-played them. They were up four.”
A tale of two towns
The sentiment in Auburn and Tuscaloosa couldn’t be more polarized. The same shot sparked vastly different emotions in each town. The Auburn Tigers clinched the SEC regular-season title with their victory over Kentucky and Tennessee’s last-second dagger against Alabama.
Jahmai Mashack #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts after a defensive stop during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Thompson-Boling Arena on March 01, 2025 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Those who hate each other, like those who love each other, are destined to be together. The schools in Alabama are no different—these two rivals are forever intertwined, with no escaping it. As Bama endured the sting of defeat, Auburn reveled in the glory of triumph.
