Alabama Basketball: SEC issues suspension for F Mo Wague
Alabama Basketball will be down one of its frontcourt pieces when it travels to Lexington this weekend, as junior forward Mohamed Wague has been suspended by the SEC for Saturday’s game against the Wildcats.
Wague is being disciplined for elbowing Florida forward Alex Condon in the head during Bama’s win over the Gators on Wednesday night. The act was clearly not a “basketball play,” as Wague seemingly let his emotions get the best of him during the heated contest.
Even Alabama faithful can acknowledge that Wague’s suspension is warranted, including Coach Nate Oats. While Oats publicly agreed with the suspension, it doesn’t appear that he will hand down any additional suspension time.
Mo Wague, a transfer from West Virginia, has proven to be a valuable depth piece at times but has largely had a frustrating season. He has appeared in 24 of Alabama’s 26 games, making eight starts and averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Wague was able to provide a spark in the non-conference portion of the schedule when fellow big Nick Pringle was struggling on and off the court. Prior to the holiday break, Wague reached double-figures in three different games, including one against Zach Edey and Purdue. He was impactful on the defensive end of the floor as well, recording four games with two or more blocks and three games with two or more steals.
Though his aggressive play was refreshing, Wague struggled to stay out of foul trouble. He has fouled out of four contests this season despite averaging less than 10 minutes per game.
In the spring semester, Mo Wague’s minutes and contributions have both dwindled. Like most coaches, Coach Oats began to pare down his rotation as the Tide got into SEC play, and Wague was left on the outside looking in.
Wague made a serious mistake against Florida, and he will pay for his lapse in judgment. Hopefully, this is an opportunity for him to refocus. Wague has already proven he is capable of making a positive impact, and the Crimson Tide may need him to step up down the stretch and into the postseason.