Auburn's Bruce Pearl explains heated exchange after loss to Alabama

After his Auburn team fell to Alabama 81-63 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament, Bruce Pearl was not happy. He wasn't satisfied with how his team played, but more than anything, he was upset with a man who got in his way on the court.

He bumped into the man, reported by ESPN to be Alabama's strength coach (via SB Nation), and then went on a tirade in the middle of the court as both teams and officials made their way to the locker room. 

Bruce Pearl very upset about something that happened in the handshake line with Bama. pic.twitter.com/WP4OReaOGx

— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) March 9, 2018

Auburn’s Bruce Pearl Crying About This ? pic.twitter.com/QUf4GqS6Uv

— BamaVideo (@BamaVideo_) March 9, 2018

Pearl explained himself after the game.

"Just as I was walking to my locker room, I just had to — a gentleman just was in my path, and I had to negotiate — try and negotiate around him," he told a press conference. "I think he may have clipped me, and then he said something to me. Of course, I should be able to walk off the floor without having somebody stand in front of me and try to make contact with me. So that was all it was."

The Tigers are 25-7 on the year and coming off of a regular-season title in the SEC. They are positioned well for the NCAA Tournament which begins next week, but getting outscored 50-22 in the second half by an Alabama team that is on the bubble is not the best way to go into March Madness.