Nate Oats silences Auburn fans amid Charles Bediako playing

Nate Oats brought on the silence and enjoyed every minute of it. 

The Alabama head coach fired back at Auburn fans Saturday night after the Crimson Tide left Neville Arena with a 96-92 road win on Saturday. He quieted a crowd that spent much of the game heckling former Tigers standout Aden Holloway and NBA bounce back Charles Bediako.

“Charles took a little bit off him today,” Oats said. “Good teammates. I think he’s fine. He knew it was coming. That’s what they do. But they were pretty quiet when we left.”

Holloway’s return to Neville Arena carried extra emotion after his transfer across the state, though much of the crowd’s attention centered on Bediako and his ongoing eligibility court case. Oats noted that results speak louder than taunts.

“Best way to quiet them is to win on the scoreboard,” he said. “They were quiet last year, they were quiet this year. He’s 2-0 coming back here.”

Holloway backed it up with 15 points in 31 minutes, highlighted by a four-point play from the corner and a tough left-handed floater that helped stretch Alabama’s lead. Bediako added 12 points and three rebounds off the bench, providing a steady interior presence.

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Even Auburn coach Steven Pearl acknowledged Bediako’s impact postgame. But yet another subdued exit from Auburn’s home floor. 

For now, the former NBA player fights to keep his eligibility claim alive in court. Whether or not he remains on the court is in the hand of an Alabama judge.

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