For only the second time this season, the Auburn Tigers were tasked with bouncing back from a loss following the overtime setback on Tuesday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the friendly confines of the home Jungle, the Tigers had no problems getting another win streak started. Auburn used a 16-2 run in the first half to take control of the game and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the final 20 minutes on their way to a 75-58 win over the visiting Texas A&M Aggies. The Tigers remain undefeated in Auburn Arena and in regulation, as their only two losses this season have come in overtime. The win improves No. 1 Auburn to 23-2 and 11-1 in league play. The Aggies fall to 15-10 (4-8 SEC).
For only the second time in program history, College Gameday set up their Saturday broadcast in Auburn Arena. The Tigers and their fans showed-out on national television. Devan Cambridge gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about throughout the game with a series of highlight reel dunks. Football coach Bryan Harsin also got the home crowd fired up with his arrival in the Jungle partway through the game. As Coach Bruce Pearl said, “Our team played really hard today in front of a national audience.”
Walker Kessler shrugged off some early first half foul trouble to record his second triple-double of the season. Kessler becomes one of just five players in the history of the SEC to record multiple career triple-doubles. Kessler finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 blocks. Postgame, Pearl said about Kessler, “He’s one of the most dominant players in college basketball.” Kessler is now tied for second in the SEC in career triple-doubles only behind the great Shaquille O’Neal who recorded six in his illustrious collegiate career.
Kessler was one of four Tigers in double figure scoring. Allen Flanigan scored a game-high – and personal season-high – 16 points. According to Pearl “[Flanigan] played with purpose.” K.D. Johnson added 11, including nine in the first half, while Devan Cambridge scored 10 off the bench. Jabari Smith and Dylan Cardwell each added nine points apiece.
Both teams struggled to score early in the game as the two teams combined to begin the contest with an 0 for 12 mark from the field. Flanigan’s pair of made free throws were the only points for either team in the first three and a half minutes of action. Auburn led the first nine and a half minutes of the game – and the entire game as well – but also struggled to pull away from the Aggies, as A&M seemed to answer every Auburn punch. Auburn took control of the game in a seven-minute span with a 16-2 run to go up 28-11 with less than four minutes to play in the first half. At the half, the Tigers were up 35-18, as the Tigers’ defense was lights-out in the first 20 minutes. Auburn held A&M to seven made field goals on 17.9% shooting in the first period. In fact, Kessler had as many blocks (seven) as the Aggies had made field goals in the first half. The one area where the Tigers struggled in the first half was the glass as Texas A&M outrebounded the Tigers 29-20 including a 14-3 advantage on the offensive glass.
Auburn maintained the double-digit lead throughout the second half. Both teams dropped 40 points in the second half and the game ended with the same margin as the first half. The only real drama in the latter stages of the second period was whether Kessler would be able to make it to 10 rebounds to complete his triple-double. Kessler picked up his fourth foul while he still only had nine rebounds but was able to avoid the pivotal fifth foul while adding two more rebounds to his credit.
The early shooting struggles were a sign of things to come from both teams. Both teams struggled from the field and especially from three. The Tigers shot 39.7% from the field while the Aggies were held to a 27.1% mark. The two teams combined to shoot six of 47 from three or 12.8%. Auburn’s struggles from the free throw line from Tuesday night reemerged as the Tigers uncharacteristically missed 10 free throws. When asked postgame about shots not falling, Pearl said “We’re missing a lot of shots. That’s an issue for us.”
After missing the past two games with a non-COVID illness, senior guard Zep Jasper returned to the starting lineup. Jasper’s defensive prowess was certainly a factor in the Tigers holding A&M to 58 points. Pearl said, “Having Zep back picks everybody else up.”
After struggling on the board in the first half, the Tigers came back in style on the board in the second half. Auburn ended up outrebounding the Aggies 52-45 for the game. Both teams grabbed 18 offensive rebounds in the game. Jaylin Williams matched Kessler’s 11 boards as the two shared the team lead. Jabari Smith added eight boards.
Auburn showed off crisp passing throughout the game and finished with 18 assists. Wendell Green, Jr. led the way with five.
The game also marked Auburn’s annual AUTLive Cancer game. A large portion of the home crowd were showing off their white AUTLive shirts as they supported the fight against cancer in the Auburn area.
Auburn is back in action on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. when they host Vanderbilt in Auburn Arena.
