The Auburn Tigers continued a ridiculously impressive non-conference run on Monday night, again defeating an inferior team by a wide margin at Neville Arena. Bruce Pearl’s squad is now 4-0 heading into their toughest stretch of the season, beginning next week with the ‘Maui Invitational’.
While the score was lopsided, Monday’s contest was actually fairly back-and-forth during a mostly competitive first half. North Alabama actually held the lead as late as 15 minutes into the game thanks in large part to the outstanding play of junior guard Jacari Lane (16 points), who was his most effective early on.
The Lions actually held the lead late in the frame after a Canin Jefferson 3-point put them ahead 33-32 lead with 5:12 to go in the opening frame, but things were pretty much all Auburn from there. Johni Broome 11 points over the half’s final 5 minutes helped the Tigers re-take a 13-point lead into the locker room.
Auburn’s momentum from the final minutes of the first half carried into the final 20 minutes, as the quartet of Denver Jones (13 points), Chad Baker-Mazara (12 points), Miles Kelly (12 points), and Dylan Cardwell (12 points) all finished in double-figures to help supplement an Auburn career-high 30-point performance from Johni Broome. Juniors Presly Patterson and CJ Williams also had personally historic nights in the blowout win. Patterson late 3-point shot was the first of his Auburn career, while a late jumper by Willaims not only gave Auburn its first 100-point game of the season, but gave Williams his first points as a Tiger as well.
The 102-point, offensive onslaught was Auburn’s best of the young season, which coach Pearl certainly loved to see considering an Iowa State team ranked No. 3 in defensive efficiency this season awaits the Tigers next week. That matchup with Iowa State, which will take place in the first round of the ‘Maui Invitational’ is currently scheduled for Monday, November 25 at 8:00 PM CST. Until then, the No. 3 ranked Auburn Tigers will enjoy another lopsided victory on the Plains.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Tigers remain kings of ‘The Jungle’, topple Lions 102-69
