Bruce Pearl frustrated with technical after celebration
Auburn lost its fourth game in the last five outings on Tuesday, dumped by Texas A&M 83-78. A potentially controversial technical after a celebration that significantly altered momentum drew the ire of coach Bruce Pearl.
First Wendell Green was assessed a technical after getting into it with Texas A&M’s Solomon Washington. Both players were given a technical, but then Allen Flanigan drew another for Auburn just moments later.
With Auburn leading, Flanigan nailed a 3-point attempt.
His triple was Auburn’s fifth in the game, and the Tigers were cruising. But Flanigan then blew a kiss toward the Texas A&M bench and was assessed a technical after the celebration.
Pearl seemed upset at the call after the game, because it seemed to kill his team’s momentum.
“Oh it absolutely did. It absolutely did,” Pearl said, shaking his head in a virtual postgame interview. “Allen had knocked down a three or done something. I thought he celebrated. I thought he was celebrating. You’re allowed to celebrate. I guess they must have thought his celebration was unsportsmanlike.”
Auburn would trip up the rest of the way, falling 83-78. And now the Tigers will take on the only unbeaten team in the league on Saturday.
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Alabama has hands down been the cream of the crop in the SEC, the only team in the conference yet to lose in league play. Still, Alabama coach Nate Oats is prepared for a wild atmosphere at Auburn on Saturday afternoon after pumping sound into practice.
“We try to imitate the noise, it’s not going to be at the same decibel level,” Oats said. “It’s ridiculous when you’re playing inside that arena.”
Alabama will do what it can to prepare, but the extra attention on the game with ESPN’s College GameDay at Auburn is nothing but a positive, the way Oats sees it.
“This game has become a national game,” Oats said. “That’s why ESPN College GameDay decided to go to Auburn for the game. It’s good for basketball in the state of Alabama.”