NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Auburn Tigers are making a stronger showing in the NCAA Tournament this year compared to last, despite not exhibiting the level of energy that coach Bruce Pearl desires. In their opening match, the Tigers defeated the 16th-seeded Alabama State Hornets with a score of 83-63, showcasing key performances from players like Miles Kelly, who sank seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, and All-American Johni Broome, who contributed with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Coach Bruce Pearl's team, now with a season record of 29-5, faced an early exit in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, losing to Yale shortly after winning the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament. This year, however, they entered the tournament as the top overall seed among the four No. 1 teams, despite a recent slump, having lost three of their last four games in the competitive SEC.
“We just weren’t sharp,” Pearl commented after the game. “One thing you can control is effort and energy. Our system relies on that, and I just didn’t think we achieved that today.”
The Tigers are set to face No. 9 seed Creighton, who claimed an 89-75 victory over eighth-seeded Louisville, in the second round on Saturday. Pearl emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “We won't beat Creighton if we play like we did tonight.”
Alabama State, with their only lead being 3-0, didn't make it easy for Auburn in the first half. After trailing 28-15, the Hornets mounted a comeback, scoring nine consecutive points and narrowing the gap to just a single point at 32-31, thanks to a layup by Amarr Knox. This thrilling moment ignited the Rupp Arena crowd, who rallied in support of Alabama State, hoping for a major upset.
Coach Tony Madlock expressed pride in his team's performance, highlighting their achievement for Montgomery and all historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). “(We) had some moments in this game that made coach Pearl call timeout,” he noted, emphasizing the impact of their play.
Knox had an opportunity to give Alabama State the lead late in the first half but missed both free throw attempts. “I should've made those two free throws,” Knox reflected. “I definitely should’ve made those.”
Broome ignited a scoring run for Auburn, helping the Tigers take a 41-31 lead into halftime. In the second half, Auburn stifled Alabama State's attempts to rally, even as Broome picked up his third foul early on. Tahaad Petitford added 16 points for Auburn, while Chaney Johnson contributed 13 points.
This victory improved Auburn's record to 7-0 against Alabama State, marking the first NCAA Tournament matchup between the two schools, which are located about 50 miles apart in south Alabama. Despite the loss, Alabama State celebrated their first NCAA Tournament win in their fifth appearance, with Knox leading the Hornets with 18 points and TJ Madlock adding 11 points.
While Auburn enjoyed a rebounding advantage of 46-36, their struggles at the free-throw line could pose challenges in the upcoming rounds. They shot a mere 56.3% (18 of 32) from the charity stripe, an area that will need improvement as they aim to progress past the first weekend for the first time since their only Final Four appearance in 2019. The Tigers have faced early exits in the second round for three consecutive tournaments from 2021-2023.
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