Texas A&M coach Bucky McMillan had trouble participating in his postgame interview as Auburn fans protested the Aggies' controversial win. Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser
By Ben Axelrod on

Following Texas A&M’s controversial victory at Auburn on Tuesday night, Tigers fans wanted to make their voices heard.

And they did so to such a degree that it prevented Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan from completing his postgame interview, which ultimately lasted all of one question.

“We have a lot of depth — it’s hard to hear in here,” McMillan told ESPN’s SEC Now during a remote courtside interview as the Auburn fans behind him chanted “ref, you suck.”

After reiterating his belief that the Aggies’ depth was the deciding factor in the game, the 42-year-old head coach returned fire against the protesting fans.

“I can barely hear you guys. Here’s the deal: these fans can get mad, but that game should have been over at the free-throw line. Malfunction — the clock, or that game was over,” he said, clearly flustered. “Our guys played with resilience. I can’t hear. I can’t hear you guys.”

And with that, the interview came to an end.

McMillan’s brief interview came at the conclusion of a game that saw Auburn surrender a 16-point second-half lead, with Texas A&M clinging to a 90-88 advantage with two seconds remaining in the contest. After missing his first free throw, Aggies guard Pop Isaacs appeared to intentionally miss his second, allowing the Tigers securing the ball with 0.6 seconds remaining despite McMillan’s belief that the clock should have expired.

The drama, however, was just getting started, as Auburn forward KeShawn Murphy made what appeared to be a 36-foot game-winner. Upon further review, the refs ruled that Murphy didn’t get the shot off in time, sending the crowd at Neville Arena into an extended frenzy.

In retrospect, having McMillan participate in such an interview directly in front of a raucous Auburn crown probably wasn’t the best idea. Then again, from a pure entertainment perspective, it created yet another memorable moment from an already memorable game.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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