OXFORD, Miss. — Auburn’s Joni Bloom met with one of her favorite movie stars and apologized to Morgan Freeman for how things went.
Bloom, who scored 15 points in the No. 16 Tigers’ 91-77 win over Mississippi State on Saturday night, tried to save a ball that went wide in the second half, but someone in the front row grabbed his jersey.
Bloom thought the Ole Miss fan was trying to shake him, so he brushed the man’s arm away.
It turned out to be Freeman, an Academy Award-winning actor who is a huge Mississippi State fan and often attends Rebels games.
“We were able to somehow get his hands off him,” Bloom told reporters. “I saw who it was, and I’m a big movie buff. I think I probably saw one of his movies on the plane coming here.
“But then I realized it was him and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a huge fan.'” I’m sorry. ‘He said, ‘Just keep playing.’ ”
Bloom called a personal foul on himself and returned to Freeman during the game.
“It’s like, ‘I’m sorry again,'” Bloom said. “He said, ‘Guys, I’m fine.’ Just keep playing. He’s a really nice guy. I like him.”
Bloom and his Auburn teammates erased a 13-point first-half deficit and used a dominant second half to outrun Freeman’s favorite team.
The Tigers improved to 18-4 overall and 7-2 in the Southeastern Conference, but the Rebels fell to 18-4 and 5-4 in league play.
