Bruce Pearl to team after Auburn's loss to Virginia: 'Let's handle defeat with dignity'

MINNEAPOLIS — Rather than turning on the officials, Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl turned philosophical after two controversial officiating calls helped sink his fifth-seeded Tigers in a 63-62 loss to top-seeded Virginia Saturday night at the Final Four.

Pearl indicated he did not discuss the calls that enraged Auburn fans when he met with his players in the locker room after the national semifinal game.

“I asked them, ‘Would have we trusted God anymore in victory than we trust him in defeat, in the sense that he carried us all the way here, all season long, and put so much blessing upon us?’” Pearl said during a postgame press conference, “ And so this is what the plan was. And let’s handle defeat with dignity.’’

But with the media, Pearl did address the two calls — perhaps the most controversial coming on the game’s final play, when Auburn’s Samir Doughty was called for a foul on Virginia’s Kyle Guy with 0.6 seconds left.

Guy missed a three-pointer on the play, but made all free throws, lifting Virginia to victory.

WILD FINISH:Virginia stuns Auburn with help from foul call and free throws

PRESSURE MOMENT:Guy was 'terrified' before game-winning free throws 

RIGHT CALL:Final Four officials get last-second foul against Auburn correct

Pearl, asked for his view of the call and what he told Doughty after the game, replied, “Really, we didn’t focus on that. We focused on how we were going to handle the defeat at Auburn, with class and dignity.

“There were lots of calls during the game, and you’re going to get some and some you’re not going to get. In my eyes, as an administrator of the game, if that’s a foul, call it. Call it at the beginning of the game, call it in the middle of the game, call it at the end of the game. Don’t call it any more or less at any one time during the game. That was the call. But … don’t let it define the game.”

Pearl also sidestepped controversy when asked if Virginia’s Ty Jerome committed a double-dribble violation that officials did not call before Jerome was fouled with 1.5 seconds left to play. A turnover likely would have sealed the victory for Auburn.

“We were in a situation where we had some fouls to give and I knew there was a disruption there and you just got to get onto the next play,’’ Pearl said.

Auburn alum Charles Barkley, working on the CBS broadcast, didn't have any issue with the calls either, noting the double dribble was something nobody caught immediately in the moment.

"I just want to say as an Auburn fan this was a foul," Barkley said during intermission of the second semifinal between Texas Tech and Michigan State. He later added, "I'm not going to blame the officials on the double dribble."

After commending Virginia for its play, Pearl also praised his own team, which rallied after falling behind 57-47 with 5:22 left.

“This will be a memorable game, and I’d like it to be remembered for a great game,’’ Pearl said. “And let’s not remember this game because of just how it ended."

His players were slightly less magnanimous when asked about a foul on the final play. Doughty said he was “super surprised.”

“They hadn’t been calling those fouls all game,’’ said Doughty, who moved in close to Guy as Guy launched the missed the 3-point attempt. “There was actually plays where there were fouls on 3-point shots and it wasn’t getting called at all. So for them to call that play, to call a foul on that last play, was kind of surprising.

“He just hit a 3 the play right before, and I played defense the same exact way, so I'm not really sure exactly how that foul got called.’’

But he also sidestepped any direct criticism of the officials.

“I’ll get a chance to look at it again and see if he made the right call,’’ he said before adding, “They reffing the Final Four because they do a great job at reffing, so they’re going to try to the best of their ability to make the right call. I can’t question none of that.’’

But Auburn guard Bryce Brown was succinct when asked for his thoughts: “I didn’t think (Guy) was fouled. The refs thought otherwise.’’

Auburn guard Jared Harper said, “It was a tough call, but it’s not where we lost the game.’’

Later Saturday a statement from J.D. Collins, the national coordinator of officiating, supported the call:

The call was made by official James Breeding, who ruled that Doughty moved into the airborne shooter, making contact with Guy while taking away his landing spot. The foul was a violation of Rule 4, Section 39.i,
which states, "Verticality applies to a legal position and also to both the offensive and defensive
players. The basic components of the principle of verticality are: The defender may not 'belly or
use the lower part of the body or arms to cause contact outside his vertical plane or inside the
opponent's vertical plane."

Contributing: Trysta Krick