Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Will spiraling off-court drama distract Alabama basketball from making this their most historic season at the March Madness tournament?

On Thursday, the Crimson Tide passed their first big test, defeating Texas A&M Corpus 96-75 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Surprisingly, however, superstar freshman Brandon Miller didn't log a single point for Alabama - the first time the forward has been scoreless this year.

It's clear that a fatal shooting in January involving Miller and fellow Alabama athletes is continuing to rock the team, and may hinder their chances to make it to the Final Four.

Now, there's been more accusations added to the scandal.

According to a new report by the New York Times, freshman guard Kai Spears has been named as a fourth Crimson Tide player at the scene of the shooting that killed 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

Spears, a walk-on, was reportedly with Miller, who allegedly provided the gun to former teammate Darius Miles. Miles is facing capital murder charges after his arrest, while Miller and another player on the scene, Jaden Bradley, have not been charged.

However, on the opening day of March Madness, Spears took a break from preparing for his team's First Round matchup to clarify his involvement.

"I have one thing to say - the report in the New York Times was 100% inaccurate and the writer had complete disregard for the truth," Spears posted on Instagram on Thursday. "I am trying to process and cope with these false statements that somehow have been published and then seen by so many. So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf."

The Alabama athletics department and Spears' father Christian Spears, who serves as the athletic director at Marshall University, also released statements on Thursday pushing back against the Times report.

"Your story is inaccurate. Based on the information we have, there were no current student-athletes present at the scene other than Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley, who are both fully cooperating witnesses," Alabama Athletics said.

"I am just incredibly disappointed in the irresponsible and demonstrably false reporting by the NY Times," Christian wrote in a statement. "We are exploring all legal options at this time."

Since the Tuscaloosa police testified that Miles texted Miller to ask him to bring him the gun used in the crime, Alabama basketball has been under heavy scrutiny.

Miller stuck a nerve with many fans when he performed his controversial "pat down" entrance and social media stunt last month.

Crimson Tide fans then caused more outrage when some were captured in shirts that read, "Killin’ our way through the SEC in '23," possibly referencing Harris' murder.

Following these series of events, Miller is now receiving armed security protection due to alleged threats to his safety, Alabama head coach Nate Oats confirmed to the press on Wednesday.

While the Crimson Tide's dominance this season makes them a favorite for a deep run in this year's NCAA tournament, it's hard to imagine Alabama can stay completely focused on the court amid the team's heavy off-court drama.

Having never made a Final Four appearance, this could be the year that the Crimson Tide can punch a ticket to top. However, it may require more concentration than normal given the team's current situation.

The Crimson Tide will take on the Maryland Terps in the Second Round of the March Madness tournament on Saturday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.