Auburn fans throw trash, berate officials after game-winner is waved off
By Mark Kern
Published:
Auburn was trailing Texas A&M, 90-88, on Tuesday night with only 0.6 seconds remaining in the game when KeShawn Murphy appeared to hit a game-winning 3-pointer. However, after going to the monitor, the officials waved the basket off, giving the Aggies a stunning come-from-behind victory.
The fans started the sequence cheering and celebrating a much-needed victory, but that excitement quickly turned to vitriol and anger when the referees said Murphy didn’t get his shot off in time. As the officiating crew — Todd Austin, Courtney Green, and Byron Jarrett — were leaving the floor, Auburn fans were screaming at them, as well as throwing trash at them.
After the game, Steven Pearl was late to his postgame press conference, as he was speaking with the SEC about potentially protesting the decision. He also told reporters that the officials didn’t communicate with him at all after making their decision.
“There was zero communication. They didn’t say a word,” Pearl told reporters after the game. “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.”
It has been a tough first season for Pearl as the new coach for the Tigers, as they are now 9-6 on the season, and have started out 0-2 in the SEC. The schedule doesn’t get any easier, as No. 15 Arkansas will be coming to Auburn on Saturday.
