Auburn Survives Sluggish Start against Bama St, Slams Door on Creighton, and Marches to the Sweet 16

From sleepwalking past Alabama State to stomping Creighton in the second half, Bruce Pearl’s Tigers rediscovered their edge — just in time.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For a team that spent most of the season wrecking SEC opponents with depth, defense, and confidence, Auburn sure didn't look the part early in this year's NCAA Tournament. But after 80 minutes of basketball, a burst of backcourt brilliance, and one brutal hip injury later, Bruce Pearl's Tigers are dancing into the Sweet 16. They needed a wake-up call. Alabama State delivered it. They needed a fight. Creighton brought it. And Auburn? Auburn found its March identity.

Part I: Shaky Start, Strong Finish vs. Alabama State

Call it rust. Call it arrogance. Call it whatever you want. The Tigers looked nothing like a No. 1 overall seed for most of their round 1 opener.

Sure, the final score read 83-63 over 16-seed Alabama State, but don't let that fool you. Auburn was flat-out sluggish in the first half. Outside of Miles Kelly's flamethrower start from deep — the senior guard drilled his first four threes and had 12 points before most fans found their seats — the Tigers lacked edge, urgency, and focus.

They jumped out to a 28-15 lead, only to get punked by a 16-4 Hornets run that cut the lead to one with under two minutes left in the half. The Rupp Arena crowd started getting behind the underdog. Amarr Knox missed two free throws that could've given Alabama State the lead.

Then Auburn remembered who they were.

Johni Broome scored inside. Chaney Johnson battled for a rebound. Denver Jones found Kelly in the corner for a dagger three. Just like that, a 9-0 run to close the half flipped panic into breathing room: 41-31.

"You have to play, you can't just show up," Charles Barkley barked on CBS at halftime. He wasn't wrong.

The second half was more controlled. Tahaad Pettiford brought energy off the bench with 16 points, five boards, and five assists. Broome notched another double-double. Dylan Cardwell brought grit. Auburn gradually pulled away.

Still, the takeaway was simple: this version of Auburn wasn't making it to the second weekend.
Final: Auburn 83, Alabama State 63.

Injury note: Chris Moore went down with a left ankle injury after drawing a foul. He returned briefly but was clearlylimited. He did not play against Creighton.

Part II: Auburn Answers the Bell vs. Creighton

Saturday night against Creighton, Auburn looked like a team that heard every word of criticism and took it personal.

This was no cakewalk. The Bluejays came in firing, especially from beyond the arc. Steven Ashworth and Jackson McAndrew led a first-half barrage, with Creighton knocking down 9-of-14 threes and taking a 37-35 lead into the break. Ashworth even barked "They can't guard me!" after drilling his third triple.

He should've stopped there.

Denver Jones took that personally. In the second half, Ashworth was held to two points on 1-of-6 shooting. Jones fought through screens, forced tough shots, and made Ashworth work for airspace. That defensive stand set the tone for Auburn's best half of the tournament.

Tahaad Pettiford exploded. The freshman dropped 23 points and made big plays late, scoring 16 in the second half alone. Chad Baker-Mazara came alive, hitting clutch shots during a 10-0 Auburn run that turned a tie game into a 58-50 lead.

Then came the scare.

Baker-Mazara took a hard fall on a drive, landed on his hip, made two free throws, then immediately signaled to the bench and limped off. He returned briefly, but couldn't move well and sat the rest of the way.

"It's special, but the job isn't done," Baker-Mazara said postgame.

In his absence, Auburn's depth stepped up. Cardwell, battling cramps, played his best game of the season: six points, six boards, three assists, and a team-best +24. Johni Broome wasn't sharp offensively (4-of-13), but his 12 rebounds and presence helped Auburn win the paint 42-24.

Creighton tried to claw back, but Auburn's defensive pressure and interior physicality finally broke them. A Denver Jones and-one with 1:11 left was the dagger.

Final: Auburn 82, Creighton 70.

Part III: The Numbers Tell the Truth

• Auburn outscored Creighton 47-33 in the second half.
• Held the Bluejays to 3-of-13 from deep after the break.
• Won the rebounding battle 37-27.
• Dominated second-chance points: 19 to 6.
• Scored 42 points in the paint.
• Won with their top two scorers (Broome and Kelly) shooting a combined 5-of-21.

That's not just winning. That's imposing your will.

Part IV: Built for March

This is what separates real contenders from stat-sheet warriors. Auburn doesn't need everything to go right to win. They have multiple guys who can go get a bucket, multiple defenders who can clamp up, and a coach who adjusts mid-game better than most in the country.

They're deep. They're physical. And now they're hungry.

Auburn is heading to Atlanta for a Sweet 16 showdown with Michigan. The Tigers are 30-5. They've now advanced to the second weekend for the first time since 2019's Final Four run. And they just reminded the nation that this isn't some fluke 1-seed.

They took Alabama State's punch. They took Creighton's best shot.

And they're still dancing.

Job's not done.