The Auburn Tigers are currently projected as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, according to Joe Lunardi, which is what made Thursday’s contest against the Tennessee Volunteers so important.
While Auburn came out hot and played very good basketball for about 30 minutes, they crumbled in the final 10 minutes of action, falling into a deficit they couldn’t climb out of and ultimately losing 72-62.
Currently in his first season as the Tigers’ head coach is Steven Pearl, the son of former coach Bruce Pearl, who has remained a strong personality in the college basketball landscape and now covers the sport for both CBS and TNT.
However, he never shies away from his bias toward his son and Auburn — and rightfully so. Yet, he may have taken it a tad too far on Thursday while in attendance for the game.
A video captured him shouting at a specific official over a call that was made, with some clear obscenities heard in his remarks from the crowd.
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Pearl’s actions sparked some criticism in his direction:
“Like Bruce, I used to be a huge fan. Would have loved to have had him at Kentucky, but think it would be a bad idea now. Hate how he bolted on his team at the last minute. Left Auburn and the players hostage,” a fan said.
Someone else added, “Only person he should be upset with is himself. Left that team out to dry at the last minute.”
Another person wrote, “Is that the way CBS announcers act at games?”
“How embarrassing. I quit so my son could coach. How’d that work out,” a fan shared.
One more commented, “He always has to make things about him.”
earl made the decision to step away from the Auburn Tigers on Sept. 22 after an 11-year tenure with the program and was coming off leading them to the Final Four just last season.
His son, who was an assistant on the staff, was hired that same day and is now at risk of ending Auburn’s NCAA Tournament streak of four, despite making his case for the team to get in on several occasions over the last handful of days.
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