South Carolina fans boo Brandon Miller, chant ‘lock him up’

South Carolina fans boo Brandon Miller, chant ‘lock him up’

In his first game since being named by police investigators in a murder trial, Brandon Miller heard it from an opposing crowd.

During Alabama’s men’s basketball game on Wednesday night in Colonial Life Arena, fans were heard chanting “lock him up” while South Carolina shot a free throw early in the first half on a video posted on social media. Later in the first half, when Miller stepped to the line for a free throw attempt, fans in the “Cockpit” the school’s student section chanted “guilty” at Miller.

The matchup between No. 2 Alabama and Gamecocks was broadcast live on ESPN2 and every time Miller handled the ball, the crowd booed heavily, cheering his missed shots and turnovers.

Later in the half, the game was stopped per ESPN announcers after a fight in the stands. The man led out by officials was wearing a red, Alabama t-shirt, per a shot shown on the broadcast.

Miller was reaffirmed as an “active member” of the team earlier in the day via a university statement. A group of school officials, including head coach Nate Oats, athletic director Greg Byrne and president Stuart Bell “collectively” approved Miller’s status after the Jan. 15 incident involving three Alabama players, 20-year-old Michael Davis and fatal gunshot victim Jamea Jonae Harris, among others.

A flurry of statements was released via Miller’s attorney, Byrne and UA all confirming what police said on Tuesday — Miller was not a suspect and had been cooperative as a witness.

On Jan. 22, Oats praised Missouri for removing a spectator in the student’s section after a chant referencing Darius Miles’ involvement in the murder on the Tuscaloosa strip. It was the school’s second road game following the shooting on Jan. 15.

“Yeah, there was,” Oats said then. “But I don’t need to address it. They got him out of there. So for the most part look, coach (Dennis) Gates is great. The administration here is great. Sometimes college students don’t understand the severity of things. For the most part, it was fine.”

This post will be updated.

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Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].