As Brandon Miller and the Alabama Crimson Tide continue their march toward the NCAA Tournament, they will be met with opposition by not only opposing teams but fans as well.
Ahead of Alabama’s second-round game against the Missouri Tigers, AL.com’s Nick Alvarez reported some Vanderbilt fans in the stands waiting before their game against Texas A&M started chanting “Brandon Killer” to the SEC Player of the Year.
Miller has come under fire for bringing then-teammate Darius Miles’ gun to him on January 15. Miles and Michael Lynn Davis are charged with capital murder in the death of Jamea Jonae Harris that night. Miles was dismissed from the program after that charge. Miller has not been charged, and has not been suspended by Alabama.
As per Alvarez’s report, “Brandon Killer” was only one of the chants heard:
“Bran-don kil-ler,” two people chanted before another joined.
“You’re a murderer and you know it. … God is gonna judge you,” a man in a white Vanderbilt t-shirt and sunglasses yelled.
Other spectators sitting near the group told AL.com the ‘killer’ chant and variations of it continued throughout the Tide’s 72-61 Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal win.
Miller admitted he heard the hecklers but ignored them.
“I mean I hear it, but I lean on my teammates,” he said.
Clearly, it didn’t bother him Saturday. Miller scored 20 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in the Tide’s victory over Mizzou.
One of the reasons Alabama has been successful so far this season despite their off-the-court issues is they have been able to shut down the outside noise. This is a close-knit group that has managed to win an SEC regular season title and make the SEC Championship game Sunday, and has done so despite the criticisms they’ve heard for Miller.
[AL.com]
About Stacey Mickles
Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.