Auburn has self-reported to its compliance department following an incident at the end of the Tigers' road game against Florida on Saturday night in Gainesville, Fla.
Video surfaced online after the game of Florida fans in the stands throwing money at Auburn players as they walked off the court at Exactech Arena following the Tigers' 72-66 loss to the Gators. It is unclear on the video if the money is real or fake, or how much of it there is, but Pearl confirmed Monday that it was, indeed, real currency--and that his team has reported the incident to the university's compliance department so as to avoid any NCAA violations.
"It was real money, and I think there's $5 or $6 that are out there, and because you guys know we're compliant, we've actually turned that money over to compliance," Pearl said. "Really. I don't know, it was five or six bucks, but our people have the money. I don't know what they're going to do with it, probably give it to charity, but we've already self-reported."
An SEC spokesman did not respond to an AL.com request for comment. A Florida team spokesman declined comment when reached by AL.com on Monday.
Florida fans threw the money at Auburn players as a means of taunting the Tigers, whose program was enveloped in the FBI's investigation into the criminal influence of money on college basketball. Then-associate head coach Chuck Person was one of 10 people arrested on Sept. 26 as part of the investigation and is alleged to have accepted $91,500 in bribes to funnel Auburn players toward a crooked financial adviser.
The investigation cost Person his job, and he currently faces federal charges including bribery and conspiracy, which he will stand trial for next year. It has also resulted in the Tigers being without two of their best players this season, as Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy have been held out amid concerns about their eligibility.
Wiley was ruled ineligible by the NCAA last month and had his appeal denied earlier this month. He is eligible to return next season, should he not turn pro. Auburn is still awaiting word on the status of Purifoy, whose mother is alleged to have accepted $11,000 from Person.
Despite that, Auburn has put together one of the most surprising seasons in the country. The Tigers are ranked 14th, sit atop the SEC with a 24-5 record and 12-4 mark in league play, and they can clinch at least a share of just their third conference title in program history with a win Tuesday against Arkansas or a Tennessee loss that same night.
When asked if the incident with the Florida fans was the strangest thing to happen to his team on the road this season, Pearl smirked and said, "it's just college basketball."
The taunt didn't sit well with at least one Auburn player.
"That was kind of different," guard Bryce Brown said. "I've never seen nothing like that. I'll remember that next time we play them. I didn't like that. I didn't like how they tried us like that. I didn't like that."
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.