Not even two days after a brutal defeat against Virginia against Final Four, Auburn head coach made a few appearances in the media Monday morning.
As might be expected, Pearl was questioned about the two controversies in favor of Virginia in the last minute of Saturday night's game: Samir Doughty's foul while Kyle Guy tried the pointer to 3 in last seconds and the missing double. -dribble of Ty Jerome.
Pearl was reluctant to criticize the arbitration after the 63-62 defeat. Having had the opportunity to call the ESPN and Dan Patrick Show officials on Monday morning, he also took the high road.
"The most important point I want to make, and I'm honest about it, I'm not saying that simply because it's politically the right thing to say. There is a human error involved in the game, "said Pearl on Get Up!
"Kids make mistakes, coaches make mistakes. Yes, the officials will make mistakes. That's part of the game. Move on. Sometimes they will go your way, sometimes they will not go your way. "
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Virginia players celebrate after beating Auburn 63-62 in the semifinal of the Final Four NCAA University Basketball Tournament on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / Charlie Neibergall)
Auburn's Horace Spencer (0) played during the first half of the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament semifinals against Virginia on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / David J. Phillip)
Kyle Guy (5) of Virginia makes the final free throw to defeat Auburn 63-62 in the second half semifinal of the Final Four NCAA University Basketball Tournament on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / Jeff Roberson)
Auburn's Anfernee McLemore (24) reacts to the ground while Virginia is celebrating after beating Auburn 63-62 in the semifinal of the NCAA Final Four University basketball tournament on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / David J. Phillip)
Texas Tech goalkeeper Kyler Edwards celebrates in the second half against Michigan State the semifinal of the Final Four NCAA University Basketball Tournament on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / David J. Phillip)
Texas Tech striker Tariq Owens lands on the scoreboard while trying to avoid a ball coming out of the first-half field limit against Michigan State in the Final Four basketball tournament semifinal NCAA, Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo / Jeff Roberson)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 6: Bryce Brown, No. 2 Aubig Tigers, reacts after being defeated by Virginia Cavaliers 63-62 in the semifinal of the Final Four NCAA 2019 at US Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019. Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 6: Bryce Brown, No. 2 in the Auburn Tigers, celebrates in the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers in the semifinal of the Final Four NCAA 2019 at the US Stadium Bank, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis , in Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 6: Kyle Guy, No. 5 of the Virginia Cavaliers, celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Auburn Tigers 63-62 in the semifinal of the Final Four NCAA 2019 at US Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 06: Jared Harper, No. 1 Auburn Tigers battles for the ball with Kihei Clark, No. 0 Virginia Cavaliers in the first half in the semifinal of the NCAA Final 2019 US Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 06: Tariq Owens # 11 of Texas Tech Red Raiders falls on the pitch as Xavier Tillman # 23 of Michigan State Spartans fights for the ball with Jarrett Culver # 23 and Brandone Francis # 1 of Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half in the semifinal of the 2018 NCAA Final Four at US Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 6: Tariq Owens, 11th of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, lands on the pitch in the second half of the semifinal of the NCAA Final Four at US Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis , in Minnesota. (Photo of Brett Wilhelm / NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 6: Matt Mooney, No. 13 of Texas Tech Red Raiders, reacts in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans in the semifinal of the 2018 Final Four NCAA at US Bank Stadium, April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
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Ty Jerome's double dribble was also missing from Pearl
This comment was specifically after the double dribble missed that would have certainly changed the outcome of the match. Auburn led by two points when Jerome dribbled the ball from his heel while attempting a dribble in the back. Jerome then picked up the ball and continued on the field to take a few more steps before committing a foul on the Tigers, who had a foul to give.
Jerome should not have been allowed to advance the ball, but the officials missed him, like most observers in the arena and in the country.
Even Pearl missed that. He thought Bryce Brown, who was watching Jerome closely as he made his way to the field, grabbed the ball and kicked it away briefly.
"I have not seen it either," said Pearl at the Dan Patrick Show Show. "When I saw the disturbance in the game, I assumed that Bryce had to have deviated. But of course, Ty Jerome just lost it, picked it up, dribbled it again, and at that point, I'm just glad they did not make it. We made the mistake and we were closer to a lead of 1.5 seconds. "
If it was Brown who had deflected the ball, Jerome could have pulled himself together and dribbled the field without a problem. But as it was a loss of possession not forced, Jerome should have been whistled for a double dribble and a turnover.
Instead, the game went on and Brown made a mistake to Jerome with 1.5 second to go, establishing what would prove to be the winning game.
Pearl on the referees: "They are the best of the sector"
After the fault on Auburn, Jerome approached Guy in the corner. Guy shot quickly, but Doughty missed by 0.6 seconds. Then, Guy stalled three free throws to give his team the lead and, shortly after, a spectacular victory.
Regarding the criminal appeal on Doughty, Pearl reiterated his remarks Saturday night. If it's a call that the referees will make at the start of the game, it's a call they should make at the last minute of the match as well.
"As long as they call this fault early, call it late, but do not call it just because it's late. That's why these three (officials) are participating in this match. They are the best we have in the business. You just have to move on, said Pearl.
Instead of lamenting the officials, Pearl said that he had already done his share of thinking about other aspects of the game. He was particularly critical of his own offensive game plan.
"Some things I could have done better haunt me a little the last two nights," he told Patrick.
