"Preach it", "Absolutely sickening": Auburn fans left debating over Bruce Pearl praising Alabama's Grant Nelson for win against No.1 UNC

This week, Alabama's Grant Nelson emerged as the hero in the Sweet 16 clash against top-seeded North Carolina, leading the Crimson Tide to an 89-87 victory at Crypto.com Arena.

Auburn head coach, Bruce Pearl, who found himself providing in-studio coverage of the game, couldn't hold back praise for his archrivals. Pearl acknowledged Nelson's standout performance, labeling him "a monster" and commending his contributions inside and outside the paint.

"Grant Nelson, he was a monster. “He did it inside. He did it outside. Notice in some of the last possessions, he got stops when he got switched off on (UNC’s) RJ Davis but that is a toughness he didn’t have early in the SEC season.… He was the difference.”

However, Pearl's acknowledgment of Nelson drew mixed reactions from the Auburn faithful. On social media platform X, one fan expressed disgust, labeling Pearl's praise as "sickening."

"Having to listen to Bruce Pearl talk about how Grant Nelson played a great game is truly sickening. Absolutely sickening."

Here is how fans are reacting to this:

Nelson's dominance down the stretch, including a crucial block and a three-point play, propelled Alabama into their first Elite Eight since 2004. He capped off the game with a season-high 24 points, 19 of which came in the second half.

Grant Nelson's standout performance made it easy for Alabama

With this win, Alabama has officially entered the Elite Eight for the second time in its program history. One of the pivotal moments in the game was the faith Grant's teammates had in him. Coach Nate Oats recalled Mark Sears advising him about star guard's elated mood in between the matchup,

"I went to (Sears) when we were down there late, and I said, ‘What do we gotta run?’” Oats recalled. “He said, ‘Forget it. Get it to Grant. Grant’s cooking. Let’s go."

Nelson's explosive second-half performance, amassing 19 points, propelled Alabama to a crucial lead.

His crucial moments included a 7-0 run in the second half and converting a pivotal play to secure an 87-85 lead.

He remained composed. With seven seconds left, he sank 2 free throws and then blocked the opposition's attempt, sealing the game's victory. His 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks marked an impressive stat line.

This standout tournament performance against lower-seeded opposition earned him recognition alongside basketball luminaries Channing Frye, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O'Neal.