Advertisement

Mohamed Wague suspended by SEC after elbow to Florida player in Alabama basketball game

Alabama basketball forward Mohamed Wague has been suspended by the SEC after the Florida game for "committing a fighting act," the conference announced Wednesday.

The suspension resulted from the moment when Florida player Alex Condon tried to gather a loose ball and fought Jarin Stevenson for it, Wague swung his right elbow down and hit the back of Condon's head/neck as Wague fell to the ground.

It's a one-game suspension, so Wague will miss the Kentucky game. No. 13 Alabama (19-7, 11-2 SEC) faces the No. 17 Wildcats (18-8, 8-5) on Saturday (3 p.m. CT, CBS) at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The Crimson Tide has five games left in regular season play.

We received the discipline for Mo from the SEC and agree with the suspension," Alabama coach Nate Oats said in a statement. "After reviewing the film, the penalty is understandable and appropriate.”

"NCAA rules require a suspension for the next regular-season game when a player commits an act of fighting defined as “a confrontation involving one or more players, coaches or other team personnel wherein (but not limited to) a fist, hand, arm, foot, knee or leg is used to combatively strike the other individual," the release from the SEC read.

Wague joined the Crimson Tide this season as a transfer from West Virginia. The 6-foot-10 junior from the Bronx has started in eight games this season but none since the Vanderbilt game on Jan. 6. This season, Wague is averaging 10 minutes per game. Over that span, he has averaged 4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.5 blocks and 2.5 fouls. He played only three minutes against the Gators, finishing with no points, one rebound and one foul.

NICK SABAN COMMEMORATIVE BOOK: Relive Nick Saban's epic career with our special book. Preorder here.

ALABAMA BASKETBALL: Why Alabama basketball win vs. Florida served as preparation for March Madness

ALABAMA BASKETBALL SCHEDULE: Alabama basketball schedule 2024: Here are all the games, results for Nate Oats' team

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Mohamed Wague: Elbow to Florida player results in suspension from SEC