AUBURN, Ala. - In a hard-fought battle at Neville Arena on Tuesday, No. 16 Auburn secured its eighth consecutive win, defeating Texas A&M by a final score of 66-55. The pivotal moments of the game unfolded in the last eight minutes, with Jaylin Williams emerging as the hero for Auburn. Williams made the only two baskets for either team during this crucial period, including a game-sealing dagger 3-pointer that extended Auburn's lead.
With just a minute left on the clock and Auburn clinging to a narrow 59-55 lead, Williams confidently sank a 3-pointer, marking the sole field goal in the game's final five and a half minutes. Reflecting on this significant play, Williams expressed, "That's one of the biggest shots of my career, for sure. I practice that shot all the time. I had confidence in that one."
Williams finished the game with a game-high 22 points and contributed eight rebounds in 35 minutes of play. His baseline reverse was a highlight, capping an 8-0 run that pushed Auburn ahead 54-48 with 5:45 remaining. Despite Texas A&M making 14 of 15 free throws in the second half and mounting challenges, Auburn maintained control by making 16 of 19 free throws to secure the victory.
K.D. Johnson chipped in with 14 points, showcasing his skills with three rebounds and two assists, without committing a turnover. Johni Broome contributed 10 points and seven rebounds, excelling at the free-throw line in the second half. Tre Donaldson led Auburn with six assists.
Auburn, initially leading by eight at halftime, faced adversity in the second half with turnovers. Texas A&M capitalized on this, executing a 6-0 run to briefly take a two-point lead. However, Auburn rallied, and Williams' slam dunk after Johnson's assist provided a momentum shift.
"We knew if we moved the ball around, good things would happen," Williams said.
Defensively, Auburn forced 19 turnovers and held Texas A&M without a field goal for the last 9:15 of the game, showcasing their resilience and determination.
"I challenged my guards. I thought our guards did a tremendous job defensively," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "If we can continue to guard and get a little bit of offense from our defense, that's going to be the key to being consistently able to win each night."
In the first half, Auburn dominated on fastbreak points, outscoring the Aggies 10-0 to take a 30-22 lead into halftime. Williams led the charge with 11 points in the opening half, contributing to an 8-0 run that reversed a three-point deficit into a five-point lead.
Looking ahead, the Tigers (13-2, 8-0) are set to face LSU at Neville Arena on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT, aiming to maintain their impressive winning streak. Reflecting on the team's performance, Pearl acknowledged, "This has been one of the hardest working teams that I've had. We've put ourselves in position. We've got work to do."
