COLUMBIA, Mo. — Following a thrilling win over then-No. 1 Kansas on December 8, Missouri basketball coach Dennis Gates took proactive measures to prevent fans from storming the court again after the No. 15 Tigers triumphed over No. 4 Alabama with a score of 110-98 on Wednesday night.

With just 1.5 seconds left in the game, Gates called a timeout and seized the public address microphone to deliver a clear message to the enthusiastic crowd of 15,061 attendees. “Please, do not rush the court! Please, do not rush the court!” he instructed, reflecting his desire to maintain safety and avoid penalties.

This stance sharply contrasted with his approach during the Kansas game, when Gates had used a timeout late in the match to facilitate the safe exit of Jayhawks’ bench personnel and later criticized Missouri’s administration for advising fans against rushing the court. Following that event, the university faced a hefty $250,000 fine, with a potential $500,000 penalty looming for any repeat offenses. Under Southeastern Conference regulations, such fines are levied to the opposing institution.

“We need that money to go to NIL,” Gates remarked about the financial implications of these fines. “We don’t need to be getting fines out there. But, as for safety, I hope that becomes a standard practice when we experience excitement, which I attribute to our fans. I just wanted to ensure we didn’t rush the court and incur another fine.”