Photo | Keyli Chisesi
The Kentucky Wildcats picked up a signature win vs. the Auburn Tigers on Saturday and will jump into the top ten of the polls when they release on Monday.
Now that Bruce Pearl has transformed Auburn basketball into a winning program, a new SEC rivalry is brewing. The last two matchups between the Wildcats and Tigers have been exciting basketball to watch, even though officials made questionable calls late.
One play did go in Kentucky’s favor. However, it didn’t last season.
On Kentucky’s final possession of the game, Auburn’s Bryce Brown attempted to draw an offensive foul on Reid Travis while he was jogging up the court. In the video below, you will see Brown move towards Travis before falling to the floor, in hopes of influencing an official to make a call. Thankfully, the officials didn’t fall for it but one did last season.
In last seasons matchup at Auburn, Brown did the same thing to PJ Washington, but the official called an offensive foul. The play changed the momentum of the game, as the Tigers took the lead on the next possession. Kentucky went on to lose that game.
You can see that play in the video below and then compare the two. Brown is a great player and this shouldn’t be a part of his game. No way Kentucky would’ve recovered from that call and the PJ Washington flagrant one.
If it’s a close game at Rupp next month, let’s hope the officials don’t fall for that nonsense. I still believe flopping should be punishable in college basketball.
