Before facing No. 12 seed Grand Canyon on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, a reporter asked Alabama head coach Nate Oats about the importance of playing level headed in March Madness games and in the question, referenced Auburn guard/forward Chad Baker-Mazara’s ejection.

Baker-Mazara was tossed after he was called for a Flagrant 2 foul with 16:59 to play in the first half of No. 4 seed Auburn’s eventual loss Friday to No. 13 see Yale.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl agreed the foul was warranting of a flagrant call, but questioned whether it merited a Flagrant 2 designation, which included and automatic ejection from the game.

Baker-Mazara elbowed Yale guard August Mahoney in a play that Pearl said was intentional and retaliation for being hit in the head previously.

The play, both Pearl and Auburn’s players stated, had an impact on the rest of the game as it eliminated one of Auburn’s best offensive players but also changed the mood on Auburn’s bench.

“You feel for the rest of the rest of the Auburn team and Coach Pearl because I’m sure that they all didn’t that,” Oats said Saturday. “Shoot, (Baker-Mazara) was a good player for them. But you gotta make better decisions when the season’s on the line.”

Oats said he’s had conversations with his players about the keeping their emotions in check before the Auburn-Yale game. He said he will continue to emaphize that point before facing a well-traveled Grand Canyon crowd Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

He said he’s seen his own players over the years make ‘knee jerk’ decisions that proved costly. So Oats talked about his focus on the scoreboard alone.

“It doesn’t matter how much trash is talked, how much dirty play you feel is being done to you, we’re trying to win on the scoreboard,” Oats said. “We’re not trying to win a rock fight, we’re not trying to win a backyard brawl. That has nothing to do with the scoreboard. If we’re trying to win the game of basketball on the scoreboard, anything that has anything to do with giving the opponent an advantage — two free throws, ejection — it’s not winning the game of basketball. I don’t care to win a fight, a brawl, a trash talking contest. None of that.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]