AUBURN — In a highly anticipated matchup, Auburn’s top-ranked men’s basketball team faced a significant setback when guard Chad Baker-Mazara was ejected from the game against archrival Alabama. The incident occurred with 10:52 left in the game when Baker-Mazara received a flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Alabama’s Chris Youngblood while vying for a rebound.

The foul forced Youngblood to the floor, prompting officials to review the play before determining Baker-Mazara’s ejection. At that point, the Tigers were trailing No. 8 Alabama by five points, with Baker-Mazara contributing seven points and three assists to his team’s efforts.

Baker-Mazara, a 25-year-old senior, has had a vital role in Auburn’s offense this season, averaging 13.1 points per game and leading the team with 1.2 steals per contest. However, the foul displayed during this tense rivalry game was classified as excessive and dangerous by officials, which led to his departure from the game.

According to the NCAA men’s basketball rule book, a flagrant 2 foul is defined as contact that is not only excessive but also severe while the ball is live. Factors considered by officials when assessing such a foul include the severity of contact, intention to block a shot, potential for injury, and severity of the contact.

This ejection marks a repeat incident for Baker-Mazara, who was also dismissed in an earlier key game last season during the NCAA Tournament against Yale. As Auburn fans hope for a strong finish to the season, Baker-Mazara’s continued behavior is under scrutiny.