AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn coach Bruce Pearl still isn't happy with a call that led to the costly ejection of Chad Baker-Mazara in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, but he's urging fans to lay off his starting guard.
Baker-Mazara threw an elbow at Yale's August Mahoney as the pair ran downcourt just three minutes into a 78-76 loss to Yale. Baker-Mazara was called for a Flagrant 2 foul when Pearl says he believes it could easily have been a Flagrant 1 that wouldn't have meant an ejection.
"What a really difficult way to learn from that mistake," Pearl said Thursday, rehashing the scenario six days later.