SPOKANE, Wash. — Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats caused a bit of a stir when he paid a visit to Yale's locker room minutes after after the No. 13 Bulldogs had upset No. 4 Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

But, according to Oats, his pitstop ahead of his team's March Madness opener against Charleston was unrelated to the Tigers.

"It had nothing to do with the fact they beat Auburn," Oats said Saturday. "I know everybody wants to make that out to be (something). I actually — you want your league to do well. It looks a lot better for us if our league does really well. It was just (that) I've known coach (James) Jones (and have) a lot of respect for him. I was at Buffalo as a 13 seed playing Arizona. I know the feeling in that locker room.

"I didn't talk to their team or anything. I just congratulated coach Jones, who, by the way, is an unbelievable coach. He's done great work at Yale for a long time. He's a great coach and a good friend in the business. I just wanted to congratulate James on a win."

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Oats' relationship with Jones was strengthened when the Crimson Tide added Yale transfer Jordan Bruner in April 2020. Bruner spent four seasons with the Bulldogs before helping Alabama to the Sweet 16: "Jordan was our starting center," Oats said. "I had known coach Jones before that. ... But he was great with Bruner's recruitment. I got to know him a lot."

It wasn't the first time Oats and Jones have played at the same location for an NCAA Tournament. The duo both led their respective teams into Providence in 2016, when Yale upset Baylor and Buffalo, which was then led by Oats, lost to Miami.

Oats' team played after the Bulldogs in 2016, just as it did Friday.

"I don't know where they're going to get sent next year, but if they can maybe convince the committee, if they're fortunate enough to make the tournament, to send Alabama to play right behind them," Oats joked. "They're 2-0 with coach Oats following behind them in the tournament."

Richard Silva is a sports reporter for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama basketball's Nate Oats explains reason for Yale visit