Bruce Pearl expresses frustration over officiating in final seconds of Vanderbilt loss

Auburn dropped their fourth loss in their last five games Saturday night, losing in heartbreak fashion to Vanderbilt 67-65 on a last-second, go-ahead layup by Ezra Manjon. This wasn’t Auburn’s first close loss on the road this season, and Tigers’ head coach Bruce Pearl was asked after the game what it’ll take to get over the hump.

“To win in the end you gotta get stops and you get to the foul line. We never even got to the bonus in the second half. You win by getting stops and getting to the free throw line,” Pearl repeated.

It’s clear the Pearl had some gripes with the officiating on Saturday night as his team struggled to get to the free throw line as frequently as the Commodores down the stretch. 11 fouls were called on Vanderbilt in their matchup, which led to just 10 visits to the free throw line for Auburn. While the Tigers had 19 fouls called on themselves that lead to 27 trips to the stripe for Vandy.

Pearl may be on to something, as seven fouls were called on Auburn in the last seven minutes of the game compared to just three on Vanderbilt. Auburn won the field goal percentage and turnover battle and fought hard in a back-and-forth battle that featured 15 lead changes and 12 ties. But they could not seal the deal on their last possession when it mattered most.

Vanderbilt is now tied with Auburn at 8-6 for fourth place in the SEC conference standings, with the play of both teams for the remainder of the season being crucial in their odds of making the NCAA Tournament.

Ezra Manjon details go-ahead shot to beat Auburn

Vanderbilt guard Ezra Manjon put on his Superman cape Saturday night, hitting a go-ahead layup with eight-tenths of a second remaining in regulation to secure his team a 67-65 win over Auburn at home. He dissected the defense and had an acrobatic finish, providing the Commodores with one of the biggest plays of their season. After the game, Manjon broke down what was going through his head in the closing seconds of his clutch finish.

“I was trying to get down hill, see what the defense did, and just make a play,” Manjon said. “So I just saw I got past my man, I’m always looking at the second man, and I saw the big.”

Manjon caught Auburn center Dylan Cardwell a second too late on his defensive rotation, and new exactly how to capitalize.

“He was kind of sticking to Liam (Robbins) a little bit and came a little late. I knew I had that layup,” Manjon said.

Manjon had a rough shooting night, making just one field goal prior to his game-winner. His short memory and consistent confidence came out when it mattered most, as he helped elevate the Commodores to their fifth straight victory.

During Vandy’s win streak, they’ve now won three games by three or fewer points. They’ve come up big in the biggest moments and finished strong, and will look to continue doing so in their four remaining regular season contests.