Auburn Fans Toss Garbage at Referees After They Overturn Dramatic Buzzer Beater

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Auburn basketball fans hurled garbage at referees following Tuesday night's 90-88 loss to Texas A&M after officials called off a game-winning shot
Fans and players initially celebrated what appeared to be a dramatic win before officials blew the whistle and waved off the shot
Both coaches for Auburn and Texas A&M complained afterwards about the officiating crew, while Auburn's Steven Pearl lamented there being "no communication" about the refs' final decision

One of the wildest endings of the college basketball season ended with Auburn University fans hurling garbage at referees over their controversial decision to call off a dramatic buzzer-beater that initially appeared to give the home team the win.

The remarkable scene took place Tuesday, Jan. 6 at the end of Texas A&M’s 90-88 win over Auburn, when SEC officials waved off a sensational buzzer beater from near half court by Auburn guard KeShawn Murphy.

The shot, which happened with 0.6 seconds left on the clock, immediately appeared to give Auburn a one-point lead, sending the home crowd into a frenzy as players mobbed Murphy and celebrated the apparent win.

But moments later, referees announced that Murphy didn’t get the shot off in time and that Texas A&M had in fact won the game.

Video shared on social media afterwards showed fans screaming at the officiating crew and throwing garbage at them as they hurriedly left the court, escorted by security officials. None of the referees appeared to be struck by the objects being thrown on the court, despite video showing a windfall of debris raining down from the angry crowd.

Fans continued to loudly chant “Ref, you suck!” minutes after the game was officially over, according to local KBTX, which reported that the raucous crowd became so noisy over the referee’s final call that Texas A&M coach Bucky McMillan couldn’t hear the questions being asked during his postgame interview on the court.

ESPN Basketball referees review final call during Auburn's game against Texas A&M on Jan. 6, 2026

McMillan said “you have to applaud” the referees for getting the final call of the game correct, but expressed his own frustration with the officiating crew, saying the game shouldn’t have come down to a final shot, regardless. But a clock “malfunction” allowed 0.6 seconds to be put back on the board after Texas A&M guard Pop Isaacs made what wound up being a pair of game-winning free throws moments earlier.

“Here’s the deal, these fans, kids, can get mad, but that game should have been over at the free throw line,” McMillan shouted on the SEC Network broadcast, according to KBTX. “A malfunction of the clock or that game was over.”

McMillan later repeated his claim during an interview with Texas A&M’s radio crew, according to the outlet: “They can boo all they want here, that game should have been over if there wasn’t a clock malfunction,” McMillan said over the crowd. “That game is over with. That is inexcusable for that to happen here.”

Auburn’s head coach Steven Pearl blasted the officials during his own postgame press conference, claiming the referees scurried away from the scene instead of staying on the court to explain their decision.

"There was zero communication," Pearl said, according to a video shared by local WAAY. "They didn't say a word. They just said it was no good and ran off the floor. I probably wouldn't want to talk to me in that moment anyway, so I get why they'd run away from me."

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