Crimson Tide's Herbert Jones, Nate Oats Earn Top SEC Honors

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Alabama men's basketball will have to make more room in its trophy case after grabbing several conference honors on Tuesday.

Crimson Tide senior Herbert Jones, a native of Greensboro, was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while Nate Oats took home SEC Coach of the Year. Jones is the first Crimson Tide player to earn the league's Defensive Player of the Year honor and became just the third player in SEC history to sweep both the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

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Looking ahead, Jones and Oats are also semifinalists for Naismith Trophy postseason awards, which will be announced during the Final Four on April 4.

UA Athletics pointed out that Jones and Oats are the first Alabama duo to sweep the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year since Mark Gottfried and Erwin Dudley in 2002.

Apart from the top honors, Jones and John Petty Jr. were both named All-SEC First Team selections, while Jaden Shackelford made All-SEC Second Team.

Freshman Joshua Primo was also named to the league's all-freshman team.

No. 5 Alabama (21-6, 16-2) received a top seed and double bye in the SEC Tournament and will play its first game on Friday against either Mississippi State or Kentucky. Tipoff Friday is set for 11 a.m.

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