Steven Pearl isn’t happy, and the Auburn head basketball coach has every right to be.
Following a reversal of a game-winning three-pointer by KeShawn Murphy on Tuesday night in Neville Arena, resulting in a Tigers 90-88 loss to Texas A&M.
With at least one replay showing that the ball was out of Murphy’s hand, SEC officials didn’t agree, and as they walked off the floor after calling the basket no good, they were showered with insults and likely some liquids from the Auburn fans.
Pearl was looking for the reasoning behind the reversal, but never got one as the referees were escorted off the floor.
"There was zero communication,” Pearl said. “They didn't say a word. They just said it was no good and ran off the floor. I probably wouldn't want to talk to me in that moment anyway, so I get why they'd run away from me."
Not the first time Pearl wanted to go after officials
Pearl is probably right in the fact that they likely didn’t want to face him while he was heated. Following Auburn’s one-point loss to then-No. 1 Houston in November, Pearl was seen getting the faces of the referees right after the scoreboard hit all zeroes.
In an ironic moment, Pearl, who seemed to take a jab at former Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze in his press conference following the Tigers’ season-opening win against Bethune-Cookman, it is he now who was “close” to winning a game that would have been important for the Tigers, and it was in large part due to a call by SEC officiating, something that cost the gridiron Tigers often this season.
The Tigers now sit 0-2 in SEC play and 9-6 on the season, with their NCAA Tournament hopes continuing to take a hit. Next up is a visit from John Calipari and No. 15 Arkansas. Knowing how the Razorbacks’ coach has a way of working officials, Pearl might want to have a deep conversation with the SEC office sooner rather than later.