3/17/23 Basketball Articles

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

Edited March 17, 2023 by aubiefifty

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

al.com

 

Auburn withstands late surge, holds off Iowa in 1st round of NCAA Tournament

Updated: Mar. 16, 2023, 8:16 p.m.|Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 8:13 p.m.

~4 minutes

---

Auburn guard Allen Flanigan (22) attempts an off-balance layup against Iowa during the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the men's NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)AP

Bruce Pearl hates it when he’s right, at least when it comes to Auburn’s opponents.

It took less than a day of studying Iowa to foresee what kind of problems the Hawkeyes could present in the Tigers’ opening-round NCAA Tournament matchup. Iowa can score in bunches, Pearl said Monday. It’s a team that can catch fire from deep, and that made the Hawkeyes “pretty, pretty dangerous” in the postseason.

So, when Auburn opened up a 17-point lead on Iowa in the second half Thursday night at Legacy Arena, Pearl braced for what could come. No lead was safe against the eighth-seeded Hawkeyes, not even in what turned out to be a de-facto home game for the Tigers at Legacy Arena, which transformed into The Jungle in the second half when Auburn opened up its massive lead.

In a season full of narrow defeats and struggles to close out tight games late, Auburn finally held on. The Tigers withstood a barrage from the Hawkeyes down the stretch and advanced to the second round with an 83-75 win in Birmingham.

That 17-point Auburn lead, it turned out, was too much for Iowa to overcome — but it was close. The Tigers built that lead thanks to a 16-5 run that included four 3-pointers, three of them coming from freshman point guard Tre Donaldson. After going just 1-of-9 from deep in the first half, Auburn caught fire in the second half, connecting on seven of its 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

Iowa, which went 0-for-9 from deep in the first half, started to find some rhythm of its own from deep, and it helped Fran McCaffery’s team nearly erase that 17-point deficit. After Auburn extended its lead to 58-41 on an Allen Flanigan and-1 with 10:50 to go, Iowa responded with a 21-8 run to cut the Tigers’ lead to four points at the 4:10 mark. During that run, the Hawkeyes made six of their 10 shots, including 3-of-6 from deep.

Although the Hawkeyes heated up from deep in the second half, draining seven of their 18 attempts after halftime, Auburn never let Iowa get within a single possession. When the Hawkeyes cut it to four the first time, Wendell Green Jr. responded with a strong drive down the lane to push Auburn’s lead back to six with 4:27 left. Iowa again cut it to four, but Green proceeded to make four consecutive free throws to give the Tigers some breathing room.

The Tigers pushed the lead back to double digits three times in the final 2:15, including with 1:18 to go when Green found Jaylin Williams for a two-handed slam in transition. Iowa answered with another 3-pointer with 66 seconds to play, but Auburn never relented. Flanigan banked one in on a drive to the right side of the lane, and the Tigers sealed the game at the free-throw line as they advanced to the second round for the fourth time in as many NCAA Tournament appearances under Pearl.

Auburn will face the winner of top-seeded Houston and 16th-seeded Northern Kentucky on Saturday at Legacy Arena.

AL.com will update this post.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

Goodman: Auburn walk-on captures the soul of his city, NCAA Tournament

Updated: Mar. 16, 2023, 10:36 a.m.|Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 7:20 a.m.

7–8 minutes

---

Birmingham feels like the center of the college basketball universe this week, and in the middle of all the stars is an awe-shucks hometown walk-on for Auburn with a mean jump shot.

Lior Berman is a senior shooting guard for the Tigers. He played for Mountain Brook High School, winning three state championships with those incredible teams coached by Bucky McMillan. NBA player Trendon Watford was the MVP of those teams. Berman was the other guy.

College basketball stories can’t get much more wholesome than Berman’s journey from walking on at Auburn to the beginning of this NCAA Tournament in the same arena where he won all those state titles. Berman is like the Rudy of basketball except that Berman actually contributes real minutes to Auburn’s rotation and he has worked so hard in college that he might actually be good enough to play pro basketball overseas.

Nine-seed Auburn begins its NCAA Tournament run on Thursday at Legacy Arena with a first-round game against eight-seed Iowa. Tipoff is at 5:50 p.m. The first game of the day in Birmingham is at 11:15 a.m. between eight-seed Maryland and nine-seed West Virginia. Top-seed Alabama plays 16-seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi next at 1:45 p.m. The day’s late game — the one after Auburn-Iowa — is between one-seed Houston and 16-seed Northern Kentucky at 8:20 p.m.

RELATED: Bruce Pearl, Auburn players preview Iowa game

RELATED: What Iowa’s coach and players said about Auburn

RELATED: Update on Auburn’s Chance Westry

GOODMAN: Blood and guts take Auburn to the edge

GOODMAN: Family of Jamea Harris can’t avoid Alabama basketball

Long day of basketball. Long road for Berman that winds up all the way back at home where it started.

“I had a feeling they were going to put us in Birmingham,” Berman said. “We were watching it, and I just had this feeling. It’s full circle coming back to Birmingham for a high-level game. It’s cool.”

Berman is the ultimate team player because, despite being a senior who plays in the rotation, he’s still not on scholarship. Understand, it is exceedingly rare for a senior walk-on to receive playing time. After four years of college basketball, walk-ons usually move on to better things or get awarded scholarships.

Not Berman, though. Not the Rudy of Auburn basketball. Auburn has operated under scholarship reductions over the last two years due to past NCAA transgressions. Berman has taken one for the team, paying his own way the last two years. Bruce, hook Berman up with some NIL money or something because he’s earned it.

“If not for the scholarship penalty the last two years, Lior would have been on scholarship, so he’s like a scholarship player for sure,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “He’s a great teammate. He’s grateful for the opportunity he’s been given at Auburn, and he goes to work every day.”

Berman is an industrial design major in his last semester of college. He wants to play pro ball in Israel after that. His grandparents live in Israel, and so when Auburn visited the country in the preseason it was Lior who ended up being the team’s unofficial tour guide. Probably did that for free, too.

“And this is the Dead Sea, y’all. Don’t pee in the Dead Sea.”

Berman, who is 6-4, was a great high school player for Mountain Brook. He had serious game even back then. In his final high school game, the 2019 7A state championship game in Legacy Arena, Berman scored 19 points and had eight rebounds. He also threw down a two-handed dunk near the end that set off the Spartans’ three-peat championship celebration in Legacy Arena.

Berman dunked again on Senior Night this season in a victory against Tennessee that guaranteed the Tigers would receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Basically, whenever Berman dunks in a game, that means the party is officially starting. If Berman throws down against Iowa, the structural integrity of Legacy Arena’s roof will be put to the test.

He might not be on scholarship, but Berman is a fan favorite and now a hometown celebrity and tour guide.

“This is Vulcan. Loves fire. Hates pants.”

SPORTS HAPPY HOUR: Get ready for the NCAA Tournament with Joe Goodman’s newsletter

Berman is shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range, which makes him a pretty important player for the Tigers. Auburn doesn’t have many shooters on the team this season and Iowa is averaging 80.2 points per game. That’s a lot of points. The Hawkeyes led the Big Ten in scoring by a large margin. If the game turns into a shootout, then Berman’s jump shot could come in handy.

Players have to make shots in practice before they make shots in a game. That’s one of Pearl’s coaching axioms. For Berman, all he knew was the practice court for two years. He had to prove himself again and again and again just to get an opportunity. That’s the way it goes for walk-ons.

“You do have to earn your respect,” Berman said. “The coaches and the players give everyone a chance, so I’m grateful for that, but you really got to put in the work. You can’t just show up to practice. You have to work in the morning and at night to do the best with what you have, and I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”

It all came together for Berman in the summer before the 2022 season. Teammate Wendell Green Jr. tells it like this: “Lior wouldn’t be denied.”

“Last year, he got the respect of everybody in the summer just playing,” Green said. “A lot of walk-ons shy away from being on the court, but he was forcing the issue. Like, ‘I got next. Y’all aren’t going to overlook me.’

“So, he got my respect when I first got here. He was one of the better shooters on the team.”

It didn’t come easy. Berman could have played D-II or D-III ball out of high school, but he had to develop his body before he could compete for playing time at Auburn. He loved the challenge, though, and he loved Auburn, so he put in the work.

“Coach Pearl talked about staying ‘right and ready’ at one of the first practices, and you never know when your opportunity is going to come as a walk-on,” Berman said. “It might only be one opportunity every couple weeks, but if you keep staying right and ready and capitalize on those opportunities, eventually it’s going to build up.

“Just doing that consistently through the years, I finally put myself in a position where I can show it out on the court.”

Berman of Birmingham put himself in the middle of his hometown’s big week of basketball, paying his own way to help his team reach this moment. It’s one of the great stories of this NCAA Tournament, and why college basketball and March Madness is such a priceless American treasure.

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama

[aubiefifty 16,777]

i found more game time to watch.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

Behind boisterous crowd, Auburn basketball tops Iowa in NCAA Tournament victory

Richard Silva, Montgomery Advertiser

Thu, March 16, 2023 at 8:13 PM CDT

 

 

BIRMINGHAM — If Auburn basketball's staff was paying attention to trends heading into its meeting with Iowa in the first round of March Madness on Thursday, it should've been focused on one key stat.

The Hawkeyes, who came in shooting 34.3% from 3-point range on the season, are 16-1 when they shoot better than their season average. When they shoot below it, they were 3-12.

Iowa made 25.9% of its triples in a 83-75 loss to the Tigers (21-12) in Legacy Arena. That mark included the Hawkeyes (19-14) missing all nine of their attempts from beyond the arc in the first half.

BRUCE PEARL:What Bruce Pearl texted former Auburn basketball, now Iowa assistant Matt Gatens

 

FOOTBALL:Auburn football spring practice: Personnel units and other observations

But as with most matchups between No. 8 and No. 9 seeds in the NCAA Tournament go, it was a close affair.

It was a five-point game at the half. That was despite Iowa going on two separate scoring droughts in the opening 20 minutes that totaled 8 minutes, 2 seconds. Auburn used some hot shooting in the second half from Tre Donaldson to propel itself to its largest lead of the game − 17 points with 10:50 remaining.

But the Hawkeyes punched back with a 21-8 run, trimming the deficit to as little as four points. Johni Broome was impactful in crunch time, though, helping Auburn close out Iowa. He finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.

Wendell Green Jr.'s starts slow, but team effort makes up for it

After knocking down a 3-pointer with eight minutes remaining in the first half − the only made triple for either side in the opening 20 minutes − Wendell Green Jr. missed his next six shots. He added two steals late in the first half, but also logged a turnover to go into the break with a negative-1 plus/minus.

But in a total team effort, the Tigers made up for Green's struggles. Nine of the eleven players that saw the floor for Auburn in the first half scored, including eight points from Broome and six from Allen Flanigan. Jaylin Williams added four.

Home environment

The Tigers are 14-2 in Neville Arena this season. The win over Iowa will count toward their record at neutral sites, but it should probably be tabbed as a home victory.

With the game about two hours northwest of Auburn, the crowd was massively in favor of the Tigers.

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

#PMARSHONAU: Starters and subs do it together as Auburn advances

Phillip Marshall

4–5 minutes

---

 

Auburn is an interesting basketball team. No individual player is the obvious option when a basket is needed. Auburn won’t pay a lot of attention to this year’s NBA draft. Yet, the Tigers, seeded No. 9, took down No. 8 seed Iowa 83-75 in the first round of the Midwest Regional on Thursday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham to improve to 21-12 for the season. How do they do it?

Johni Broome, who had his 10th double-double, is a fierce presence inside. Though Auburn might not have any players around him most would call “great,” it has lots of good ones. Sometimes, help comes from unexpected places. Who would have expected freshman guard Tre Donaldson to hit three 3-pointers. Who would have expected Broome, a shaky free throw shooter who missed his first two, would hit four straight down the stretch.

If ever there was a team effort, it was Saturday's victory. Six Auburn players scored in double figures. At times, Auburn did not have a starter on the floor. But where it all starts is with point guard Wendell Green.

Green is not the best at anything, other than maybe at the free throw line, where he has the Auburn record for consecutive makes at 32 and counting. But he’s good at everything. Sometimes he scores in bunches – like 24 points against Tennessee – and sometimes he doesn’t. But he is, as they say, the straw that stirs the drink.

So, now, Auburn moves on to play No. 1 seed Houston on the same court Saturday. What to make of the Cougars’ struggles Thursday against Northern Kentucky? They didn’t put the game away until the final minutes.

First, I doubt Houston players expected to encounter the resistance they got from No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky. It’s safe to say they are likely to be more locked in Saturday,

Then there is Marcus Sasser, the Cougars best player and the AAC Player of the Year. He didn’t play against Memphis in the AAC tournament championship game, and the Cougars lost by 10 to Memphis. He left the game early Thursday and did not return. Will he play against Auburn? He’ll probably try. Will he be full-speed? No chance. Much to Houston coach Kelvin Sampson’s chagrin, Auburn will have a massive crowd advantage, as it did Thursday.

Sasser’s status is uncertain. Sampson also said after the game that Jamal Shead, the other starting guard, is dealing withy knee problems, Sampson, of course, also said it would be even more difficult because the Cougars are playing a “road game.”

If Auburn can keep Houston from feasting on offensive rebounds, shoot a decent percentage inside and outside and not turn the ball over excessively, it should be a close game. Can Auburn win? No question about it, but Houston’s injuries notwithstanding, it will take a special performance.

***

More NCAA Tournament thoughts:

* Thursday could not have gone much better for Alabama, the No. 1 seed in the South and overall. No. 4 seed Virginia lost a shocker to No. 13 seed Furman. No. 2 seed Arizona lost even more of a shocker to No. 15  Princeton. That leaves No. 3 seed Baylor as the highest seeded team between Alabama and the Final Four.

* The SEC had gone 5-for-5 Thursday when Texas A&M took the floor. The Aggies, seeded No. 7, were overwhelmed by No. 10 seed Penn State in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the 76-59 final score. Penn State took control early and never let up.

* With Saturday’s game being a single session with Auburn playing first and Alabama second, it is going to be interesting to see how the crowd shakes out. A good number of Alabama fans probably sold their tickets to Thursday’s second session, but that won’t likely happen Saturday.

">247Sports

[aubiefifty 16,777]

How Auburn weathered the storm against Iowa and advanced in the Big Dance

Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 11:23 p.m.

7–9 minutes

---

Bruce Pearl wanted to calm things down.

The Auburn coach saw his team’s lead, once at 17 points midway through the second half, dwindle to four with about five minutes to go in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa star Kris Murray just threw down a dunk in transition to get the Hawkeyes within four, so Pearl promptly called a timeout.

As his players gathered near the bench, Pearl calmly posed a question to them: If he told them before the game that they’d be up four with five minutes to play against a higher-seeded team with a potent offense, would they take it?

Read more Auburn basketball: Auburn withstands late surge, holds off Iowa in opening round of NCAA Tournament

Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn players said after defeating Iowa

Freshman Tre Donaldson shines for Auburn in first-round win

“I think we would have taken it,” Pearl said.

The Tigers took a collective deep breath during that stoppage in play, and then they recomposed themselves and responded in remarkable fashion. Auburn withstood a late surge from Iowa and held on for an 83-75 win Thursday night at Legacy Arena, keeping its season alive and advancing to the second round for a showdown Saturday against top-seeded Houston.

“It wasn’t nothing,” freshman guard Tre Donaldson said. “BP’s relaxed. Y’all see BP as always yelling, screaming and always red. He was chilled, relaxed and making jokes. We’re good. He has the confidence in us, and we had the confidence in him. We just played Auburn basketball. When we play Auburn basketball, it’s really hard to beat us.”

That was the case in the Tigers’ first-round matchup, at least, as they weathered a storm from the Hawkeyes.

The Tigers built a 17-point lead with 10:50 to go against the Hawkeyes on the back of a 16-5 run that included a trio of 3-pointers from Donaldson, who went 3-for-3 from deep and finished with 11 points in his postseason debut. Even as Legacy Arena turned into Neville Arena North after Allen Flanigan’s and-1 gave Auburn its biggest lead of the night, Pearl and his team knew an Iowa run could be looming.

That’s what Iowa does. It’s a dangerous team that can catch fire from deep and quickly put together runs. At the timeout before Flanigan’s free-throw attempt, Pearl reminded his players about that too. He pointed to Iowa’s miraculous comeback against Michigan State on Feb. 25. The Hawkeyes trailed by 13 late in regulation of that game, but they stormed back with 23 points in the span of 90 seconds—making six 3-pointers along the way—to force overtime, where they outlasted the Spartans, 112-106.

“We knew they’d come back,” Pearl said.

Iowa did exactly what Auburn expected. The Hawkeyes put together a 21-8 run over the next six minutes to cut Auburn’s lead to four. Fran McAffery’s team made 6-of-10 shots during that run, including three of their six attempts from beyond the arc. The energy from the once-raucous crowd at Legacy Arena shifted from exuberant to anxious.

“We knew Iowa was one of those teams that could get hot at any second,” guard Zep Jasper said. “I know the fans started calming down a little bit, but it was one of those things that, oh my God, like I was on the bench at one point and they started hitting threes. I was like, ‘Oh my God, these boys are getting hot.’

That’s when Pearl called the timeout for his team to compose itself. He reminded them of the position they were in, that they expected this from Iowa—and that they’ve been in these scenarios before.

It has been a season full of narrow losses and close calls for Auburn, which has struggled at times to close out games or hold onto leads late. Seven of its 12 losses this season were decided by five points or fewer.

“We’ve been here before,” forward Chris Moore said. “We’ve been here before, and it’s very evident. So, now it’s time to show we’ve grown as a team, just like every other team is supposed to grow coming into this tournament.”

Coming out of the timeout, Auburn began to string together stops. Iowa missed each of its next four shot attempts, including three straight attempts from 3-point range. After the Hawkeyes made six of their first 10 3-point attempts in the second half (which came after a 0-for-9 performance from deep in the first half), they connected on just one of their final eight attempts from deep over the game’s final six minutes.

“The key was just not losing your man, and also they were getting a lot of offensive rebounds,” Jasper said. “They’re a team, when they get offensive rebounds, they got shooters, and they can kick it out anywhere. It was pretty important just to stay on those guys that can shoot the rock, because every time they shot the ball off the offensive rebound, I feel like they made it because their guys are like 6-6, 6-7, so they shot right over the top of our small guards.”

As Auburn put together stops on defense and slowed Iowa’s high-octane offense, it also found answers of its own on the offensive end in the form of Wendell Green Jr. The veteran point guard was crucial to the Tigers’ ability to weather the storm late. After Iowa made an effort to wall him off for much of the night, he found his spots down the stretch.

Of Green’s 15 points against Iowa, 10 of them came after Murray’s dunk made it a four-point game. Green came out of that timeout and attacked the basket for a tough layup to push Auburn’s lead back to six. He followed that with four consecutive free throws after Iowa again cut the lead to four.

Green, who added a pair of assists in the final minute and a half, made all six of his free-throw attempts in the final four minutes, as Auburn went 10-of-10 from the line down the stretch (Johni Broome was 4-for-4 late).

“That’s what Wen does,” Broome said. “He lives for those moments. He’s just one of those guys that isn’t afraid of nothing. He’s not afraid of how people think of him. He knows what he’s got to do.”

Green let everyone know it in the locker room after the game, too. After Broome noted that Green’s nickname is “Icy Wen” for a reason, Green flashed his chain — which features his silhouette in the mold of the NBA logo — and reminded everyone within earshot that, “I’m Icy.”

Thanks to Green’s strong close and a refocused energy on the defensive end, Auburn was able to withstand Iowa’s big run and live to see another game. In a season filled with disappointing finishes, the Tigers turned the tables in the NCAA Tournament with their season on the line.

“A lot of them we haven’t ended up winning how we wanted it to happen in close games, but we got this one,” forward Jaylin Williams said. “This one, we don’t got no choice. Like, if it’s close at the end now, we got to keep competing. For us as a team, we just stuck together, stayed connected and it fell together tonight to close out the game.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

al.com

 

Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn players said after beating Iowa in NCAA Tournament

Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 10:07 p.m.

13–17 minutes

---

Auburn kept its streak of opening-round NCAA Tournament wins intact Thursday night at Legacy Arena.

Ninth-seeded Auburn held off eighth-seeded Iowa for an 83-75 win in the opening round in Birmingham. The Tigers had six players score in double figures and staved off the Hawkeyes, who cut a 17-point lead down to four late in the second half. Auburn improved to 4-0 in opening-round games under head coach Bruce Pearl.

After the game, Pearl, K.D. Johnson, Allen Flanigan and Johni Broome went to the podium to discuss the Tigers’ win, as they advanced to the second round on Saturday. Here’s everything they had to say:

BRUCE PEARL, K.D. JOHNSON, ALLEN FLANIGAN AND JOHNI BROOME

COACH PEARL: You walk in Auburn’s locker room and there’s a sign that says “AU, make history.” And we knew going into this game that Auburn and our basketball program had won 10 straight first-round games but this match against Iowa was not going to be easy. But we wanted to be able to add to the history.

So I believe that’s now 12 straight first-round wins for Auburn. So congrats to all the coaches and players in our program that have won that.

I’m happy for my upperclassmen. I thought the starters stepped up and played really, really well.

Tonight, Al, a tough matchup and he won his matchup which was really important for us tonight. I’m really happy for how Al. He’s playing his best basketball right now on a big stage.

And K.D. is just giving such a spark coming off the bench. Wendell was great for a general. I thought our bench played really well and lifted us up.

Our speed and quickness, obviously, was a factor. Defensively Iowa is the number three offensive efficiency team in the country. And to hold them to 75 points or at least 26 in the first half was a great effort.

Q. The final five minutes of the game you guys get stop after stop. You had rebounds and blocks. How crucial was it when they cut it to four for you to tighten it up on that end of the floor?

JOHNI BROOME: Like Coach said, they’re a very high-powered offense. We knew they had another run in them. They weren’t going to go away. Once they cut it to four we just held up and said we’ve got to get stops and win this game. We relied on each other -- box outs, rebounds, contended shots. That’s what we did to finish the game off.

Q. You guys talked all week about how this crowd could play a role in this game. What did it feel like out on the court? Did they give you guys that added spark in the second half?

ALLEN FLANIGAN: The hometown, they came in deep and heavy. They showed out. They was loud and rowdy all game. Felt like a home game for us.

JOHNI BROOME: Like he said, you all was out there. You all heard the crowd. It was electric. They gave us energy. We feed off the energy a little bit. They helped us in the second half a lot. Just gave us momentum.

Q. Talk to me about that last three-minute sequence there. You guys started hitting the 3s. What’s going through your heads since you guys were getting the your momentum?

K.D. JOHNSON: To get the stops. They’ve been down before. They’ve been there before. We couldn’t stop playing hard until the clock says :00. That’s what we did. Came out with a W.

Q. K.D., you seem to be really locked in this postseason. Is there added motivation for you to close out games differently than you had previously?

K.D. JOHNSON: Most definitely. I started off the season kind of sluggish and I wasn’t there for my team. I wanted to pay them back with giving 110 percent with my myself, my body, my mind, everything, just to do whatever to make us go farther in this March Madness.

Q. I know you guys talked about this leading up to the game. Just being locked in, you want to prove something. You had a tough matchup to start it, but you got something done that was pretty dominant. How do you feel confidence wise heading into this next matchup depending on who you guys get?

JOHNI BROOME: We’ll be prepared for them. It’s two really good teams playing. I feel we’re a confident group. We’re playing in March Madness. We don’t need too much extra confidence. That’s on the biggest stage; that should give us confidence itself.

Q. K.D., you guys went on that big run there in the second half, shooting the ball with the bench. You hit a few, Tre hit a few from deep. How key was that for you guys to go out there as a bench unit and really help you pull through on offense?

K.D. JOHNSON: That helped a lot. But what helps even more, when we got six guys in double figures, we are playing hard on defense, and we’re, on the opposite side, sharing the ball. When guys having fun with it, they’ll give their 10 percent on the floor. We came out and played hard.

Q. That fall there, I guess you were okay after that. Also you’ve had struggles and ups and downs this year. What was it like, is this the most fun you guys have had in a game this year, this season?

K.D. JOHNSON: You can say that. It’s March. So we won our first game this season through all the ups and downs we had in the previous time we had in the first start of the season. So now that we’re in March we’ve got a new leaf and it starts off 0-0. So we feel good.

That was scary, though, I was trying to make sure I didn’t hurt myself in any other way, but that was crazy.

Q. You hit a big 3 from the top of the key. Talk about adding that to your repertoire, something else that your next opponent will have to watch on film. It was a big shot to give you guys a lot of momentum.

JOHNI BROOME: For sure. I think my coaching staff, my team, they believed in me to take those big shots. Part of the reason why I came here because Coach, he wanted me to expand my game a little bit. That’s what we did.

I have confidence in myself and everybody have confidence in me when I get ready to shoot a 3 ball.

Q. K.D., when you go towards the crowd and open your mouth and make wild faces, what are you trying to accomplish there?

K.D. JOHNSON: Well, you got the fans as loaded like that and it’s March Madness? That’s the best feeling in the world. I don’t know. It just feel good to do that. Just a relief.

Q. Allen, you seem to be really locked in on the defensive end tonight, especially on the boards. You had 10 boards tonight. Was your concentration tonight really trying to get after it defensively?

ALLEN FLANIGAN: Yes, that was my main focus, just controlling what I can control. That’s defense and rebounding, and running hard in transition, trying to find my teammates, help them get shots. That’s what I did tonight.

Q. What is it going to take for you guys to do what you did tonight coming up? What is going to be the difference?

K.D. JOHNSON: Just coming in, giving a lot more than we did tonight. Houston is a No. 1 seed. So we’re going to need more than what we did tonight. And just feed off, keep going with what we did tonight.

Q. Coach, I wanted to ask you about Berman’s defense. I know you had him on Kris Murray, an All-Big Ten. I thought he did a nice job defending. Talk about Lior and the job he did tonight.

COACH PEARL: We have confidence in Lior. The defense that we played tonight, we did a lot of switching. And so when Murray was at the top of the floor he was guarded by guards. When he got down to the bottom, we were hoping to try to get a big on him. I thought as best we could, I thought it disrupted Iowa a little bit.

But I do think that run with K.D. and Lior and Tre, and the bench being in there, Chris Moore is in a regular rotation with us. He goes out with his shoulder. All of a sudden Al Flanigan has to play some 4 -- he’s not played there all year long. And guys are filling in spots.

But I think that’s what a team is all about. And we were able to overcome some real challenges. Jaylin Williams gets in foul trouble. There were a lot of things that happened that could have set us back.

But Johni Broome was too dominant inside. K.D. and Tre making all those shots in the second half. Al doing the job with Johni on the rebounding, not letting Iowa dominate on the glass -- they beat us on the glass, but they didn’t dominate.

Q. Bruce says it all the time, you win late by getting to the free-throw line and getting stops. How proud are you for these guys to get that in a tournament environment especially after they cut it to four?

COACH PEARL: I told our guys it’s going to get down to single digits now. Iowa was down big at home to Michigan State and they came back won that thing. We knew they’d come back.

Look, it got a little tight there for a second. And I asked the guys, in a timeout, I said, look, we’re up four, five, six, there’s six minutes left to go in the game. I said if we could be in that situation before the game, would you take it? I think we would have taken it.

Let’s just calm down. They made some shots and we got stops. And we got rebounds and got some 50/50 balls.

Our speed and quickness was a factor. And you could sort of see Big Ten/SEC from a standpoint of two different conferences. We aren’t much more athletic or faster than many teams in the SEC. We’re not. But tonight we were. Iowa was bigger, a little bit more skilled, shot it better from 3. They had some physical advantages.

But our speed and quickness was a factor tonight. Really helped us on the defensive end and attacking the rim. That’s why I think they played so much zone.

Q. Talk about Tre Donaldson’s night, getting the three 3s there, especially with what’s he’s been through?

COACH PEARL: Tre Donaldson is a freshman that’s played about ten minutes a game. He’s clearly been Wendell Green’s backup. He’s going to be a really good player in the future. But he’s got a role to play.

But because he was a high school football strong safety and one of the top strong safeties in the country, he could have gone anywhere he wanted to play football. He’s got a toughness about him, a swag, confidence, not afraid. Absolutely not afraid of the moment.

And he did not look or act like a freshman at all. And I think that -- I know that you’re in a game like that. Coach McCaffery has to be looking down the bench who is this kid. We don’t need this.

But it’s very, very important that your bench plays well in the postseason, I think.

Q. How would you best describe K.D.’s persona on the court?

COACH PEARL: Unpredictable. You know? But right now he’s in a good spot. He’s really good in the locker room. He’s really good with his teammates. He’s a really good friend to a lot of the guys. He plays with a lot of emotion, a lot of passion. And he giveth and he taketh away. And he’s been givething more lately.

Q. You talked all week about the ability for this crowd to play a role. Is it sounding like Neville Arena in there tonight? What role did the crowd play in the second half?

COACH PEARL: It played a great role. But, guys, this is Birmingham, Alabama. This is football country. And we dominate. And I’m really proud of that.

But we looked like a basketball state today. Alabama took care of their business today early on. They filled the building.

Auburn played a really good team out of the Big Ten. And we played well and we filled our building. And I think it makes a statement about basketball in the state of Auburn and the great job that people here in Birmingham did putting this tournament together.

Q. What was the strategy for you all defensively against the 3 because they didn’t shoot the 3 particularly well? Secondarily it’s not going to show up on the stats but the minutes from Yohan Treore tonight?

COACH PEARL: We did a lot of switching on some of their actions to keep our guards up and our bigs down. As a result, we weren’t having it get over the top of flares or chase pindowns. And it was good. It was effective.

The key, ball pressure’s important. Iowa got, they made seven. I bet you two or three, at least, were off offensive rebounds. That’s dangerous. When they make eight or more -- I think they’re 11-2. So keeping them under eight was definitely a number.

And Yo was in there because Chris (indiscernible) tweaked his shoulder again. And Jaylin was in foul trouble. So Yo was ready to go. He did a nice job.

Q. The beauty of this tournament is anything can happen. That’s what makes it so fun. So what can you say just about success and succeeding in this tournament, how much of it is the guys on the floor and the talent versus just being locked in and having the right mentality to withstand this tournament?

COACH PEARL: You’ve got to have both. You have to have dudes. Allen Flanigan is a really good player, who affects the game defensive, rebounding, making shots. He got to the rim. So happy for him on the big stage. He looked really good.

Johni Broome is an old-school, old-fashioned center that can stretch you a little bit and had big blocks, big defensive plays. You have to have players more than anything else.

But I do think our kids are proud of our basketball program. And they recognize the history. And there’s probably nobody in the media happier tonight than Charles Barkley and those guys are all going to be talking about how Charles will be happy on the set with his balloons and his tiger. Let him talk a little bit of smack.

Q. Auburn basketball has made a lot of statements over the last six or so years. How is this statement different with all the spotlights this year on Alabama and their run? You had it last year, for you guys to step up on the stage the way you did tonight?

COACH PEARL: We’ve played a really tough schedule. And we’ve lost to a lot of teams that were favored and teams that were better than us. And that’s one thing I told our guys.

But to give our guys confidence I had to remind them we played Alabama for 85 minutes. We led for 67 of those minutes, both at home and Tuscaloosa. So we’ve giving them confidence we can play.

We beat Tennessee and lost by three at Tennessee. Even though we’ve lost some games I was proud of our guys for competing. So I want to make sure our guys knew they were good enough.

And you know what? We really don’t pay much attention to what Alabama is doing. And they’re a great team. They’re extremely well-coached. They’re really talented. They play the right way.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

al.com

 

Freshman Tre Donaldson shines for Auburn NCAA Tournament 1st round win

Updated: Mar. 16, 2023, 10:43 p.m.|Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 10:40 p.m.

3–4 minutes

---

 

Wendell Green, Dylan Cardwell, Tre Donaldson recap Auburn's win over Iowa in NCAA Tournament

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

Freshman point guard Tre Donaldson entered Thursday’s 83-75 Auburn win against Iowa in the NCAA Tournament’s first round averaging 2.1 points per game as second-team All-SEC point guard Wendell Green’s backup.

Donaldson scored double-digits once this season in a 74-71 loss against Southern California. He had 12 against the Trojans with two games of seven points.

After the win, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl joked that Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey might’ve been caught off-guard by Donaldson going 3-3 from three in the second half and scoring 11 points in his tournament debut at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.

Read More Auburn Basketball: Rewinding Auburn’s 83-75 1st Round win vs. Iowa

Auburn withstands late surge, holds off Iowa in 1st round of NCAA Tournament

Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn players said after beating Iowa in NCAA Tournament

“He did not look or act like a freshman at all,” Pearl said. “And I think that -- I know that you’re in a game like that. Coach McCaffery has to be looking down the bench who is this kid. We don’t need this.”

Pearl might’ve underestimated how much film study McCaffery did because he told reporters he was familiar with Donaldson and K.D. Johnson, who scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting and 2-4 from three.

“I was impressed with Donaldson. I think that kid is a good player,” McCaffery said. “Johnson, he’s had some games where he’s gone off. He’s taken over at the end. So you can look at the numbers and say this is what they did over 32, 33 games, but I look at the quality of the player, the complete picture. And I think those two kids are really good.”

Donaldson had hit eight three-pointers on 27 attempts during the season and hadn’t attempted a three since he went 1-2 from behind the arc on March 1st in the overtime loss at Alabama. He scored his first three with 12:47 left to give Auburn a 51-39 lead.

The Tigers shot 1-9 from three in the first half and went 7-10 from three in the second, paced by Donaldson’s three-for-three night.

“I kept the confidence in my catch-and-shoot game,” Donaldson said. “I was open and I was ready for them to kick it out to me. It felt great to contribute to a win in March Madness. I’m thankful for the tough time because it makes moments like this sweeter.”

Auburn advances to the second round and Saturday will face either No.1 seed Houston or No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky with a chance to go to the Sweet 16. Donaldson’s role in the Tigers scoring 52 points in the second half didn’t go unnoticed by Pearl.

“He’s got a toughness about him, a swag, confidence, not afraid,” Pearl said. Absolutely not afraid of the moment. He’s going to be a really goodplayer in the future. But he’s got a role to play.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group

[aubiefifty 16,777]

'I got fight': Auburn's Chris Moore confident after shoulder injury vs. Iowa

Published: Mar. 17, 2023, 7:15 a.m.

4–6 minutes

---

1. Auburn Basketball

‘No injury could put me down’: Auburn’s Chris Moore confident after tweaking shoulder vs. Iowa

Chris Moore (5) during the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Auburn Tigers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL on Thursday, Mar 16, 2023. Steven Leonard/Auburn TigersSteven Leonard/Auburn Tigers

Chris Moore tried to hide the pain.

Auburn’s bulldog of a forward has been dealing with a shoulder injury on and off this season, and he tweaked it again during the Tigers’ opening-round NCAA Tournament win against Iowa on Thursday night in Birmingham. Moore tried to play through the pain, but after corralling a no-look pass from Wendell Green Jr. under the basket with a little more than 5 minutes to go until halftime.

It was then that the pain became too much. Moore winced and grabbed his shoulder, prompting one of the referees to stop the game for an injury timeout in order for Auburn to sub in Jaylin Williams at the four.

Read more Auburn basketball: How Auburn weathered the storm against Iowa and advanced in the Big Dance

Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn players said after defeating Iowa

Auburn withstands late surge, defeats Iowa in opening round of NCAA Tournament

“I was just battling the whole game,” Moore said. “I tried my best not to show it, but when I caught that pass, it was kind of probably the point where I had to sit down and get it looked at before I continued playing.”

Moore immediately went back to Auburn’s locker room to get his shoulder checked out. He didn’t return to Auburn’s bench until a few minutes into the second half, when he emerged from the locker room with a short-sleeved compression shirt on under his jersey.

Though he rejoined his team on the sideline, Moore didn’t see the floor in the second half of the Tigers’ 83-75 win against the Hawkeyes. Auburn managed fine without him, as starting power forward Jaylin Williams overcame some early foul trouble to finish with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Freshman Yohan Traore also entered the rotation at the four, logging nine minutes and at times guarding All-Big Ten forward Kris Murray. Allen Flanigan also saw a couple rotations at the four, with walk-on Lior Berman on the wing.

“It was tough for me, because I’ve been battling injuries a lot this season,” Moore said. “…It was just something that our coach definitely put an emphasis on, that we got to have every guy (healthy). So, he sat me out. I wasn’t mad. My team was playing good; everybody was playing good, so when that happens then I can’t be mad at nothing. We got a good dub tonight.”

Though the injury sidelined Moore for the final 25 minutes of the opening-round matchup, after the game he described the injury as merely “a little tweak.” It at least didn’t seem as bad as when he first injured the shoulder on Jan. 10 at Ole Miss, which resulted in him missing two weeks of action before returning off the bench for Auburn.

The 6-foot-6 forward has been the epitome of toughness for Auburn this season, but he has also endured plenty. Along with the initial shoulder injury that sidelined him for two weeks, Moore busted his chin in the SEC Tournament a week ago against Arkansas. He took a hard fall face-first onto the court at Bridgestone Arena, drawing blood and requiring him to get stitches.

Even after he returned to the court against the Razorbacks, he had to switch jerseys from his usual No. 5 to the nameless No. 41—Auburn’s contingency jersey that it breaks out in the event a player gets blood on his typical uniform. That was the case for Moore in the SEC Tournament, even as he logged just nine minutes off the bench.

Bruce Pearl afterward described Moore’s grit as the embodiment of Auburn basketball. That toughness was on display again Thursday night after the Tigers’ opening-round win, when Moore appeared resolute in his belief that the reaggravation of his right shoulder wouldn’t prevent him from playing in Auburn’s second-round matchup against top-seeded Houston on Saturday (6:10 p.m. CT on TBS).

“There’s no way I’m going to show everybody that I’m weak and I ain’t got no fight in me,” Moore said. “I’m going to show everybody I got fight; no injury could put me down.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

1. Auburn Tigers Sports

March Madness tickets: How to get NCAA tournament 2nd-round seats for Auburn

• Updated: Mar. 17, 2023, 6:10 a.m.|
• Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 9:41 p.m.

Auburn center Dylan Cardwell reacts after a basket against Iowa during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the men's NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, March 16, 2023. Auburn won 83-75. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

 

 

 

NEW!

 

By

• Mark Heim | mheim@al.com

The Auburn Tigers - a No. 9 seed - got 19 points and 12 rebounds from Johni Broome, and the Tigers advanced to the NCAA tournament’s second round with a 83-75 win over No. 9 seed Iowa on Thursday.

 

 

Tickets for when the Tigers play at Legacy Arena on Saturday in a second-round matchup against Houston-Northern Kentucky winner are available at Vivid Seats, StubHub and Seat Geek..

 

 

The Tigers (21-12) made 11 of 12 free throws over the final four minutes to lock up a second-round matchup with No. 1 seed Houston, a 63-52 winner over Northern Kentucky. The game is set for 6:10 p.m. on Saturday.

 

Auburn had six players score in double figures. Wendell Green Jr. had 15 points, and Donaldson, Jaylin Williams and KD Johnson each finished with 11. Allen Flanigan scored 10.

 

 

Check out the tickets available:

 

 

Vivid Seats

 

 

The cheapest seats at Vivid Seats are $244 and go for as much as $1,198.

 

 

 

StubHub

 

StubHub’s cheapest seats are $252. The best-selling tickets, however, are going for $266 each.

 

 

Seat Geek

 

Seat Geek best prices are $231 per ticket. Some of the best seats available, in section 125, are going for $394 each.

 

 

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

Auburn Basketball

NCAA Tournament: Game time, TV channel set for Auburn’s 2nd-round game against Houston

Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 11:43 p.m.

Auburn guard Allen Flanigan dribbles the ball during the first half of the team's first-round college basketball game against Iowa in the men's NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, March 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

NEW!

By

Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Survive and advance. That’s the name of the game in March Madness, and Auburn and Houston did just that in the opening round Thursday night in Birmingham.

Now the eighth-seeded Tigers and top-seeded Cougars are set for a second-round matchup at Legacy Arena on Saturday. The two teams will square off at 6:10 p.m. CT, with the game airing on TBS and with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

Read more Auburn basketball: How Auburn weathered the storm against Iowa and advanced in the Big Dance

Everything Bruce Pearl, Auburn players said after defeating Iowa

Freshman Tre Donaldson shines for Auburn in first-round win

Auburn advanced to the second round after withstanding a late run against eighth-seeded Iowa and holding on for an 83-75 win. The Tigers built a 17-point lead midway through the second half and saw it dwindle to four inside the final few minutes, but they never relinquished the lead and held on for the win.

Houston, meanwhile, dispatched a feisty 16th-seeded Northern Kentucky in the late game at Legacy Arena on Thursday night. The Cougars won, 63-52, in a game that saw its margin float in the single digits for much of the night before Kelvin Sampson’s team pulled away late.

Saturday’s showdown between Auburn and Houston will be the eighth all-time meeting on the hardwood between the two programs. Houston leads the series, 6-1, and has won each of the last five matchups, the most recent of which came all the way back in 1982.

This will be the first time the two teams have met in the postseason, and the winner will advance to Kansas City for the Sweet 16 next week.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

247sports.com

 

It will take more than 'special' to upset Houston, Pearl says

Mark Murphy

4–5 minutes

---

 

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama–When Bruce Pearl is preparing his basketball team to play a very talented opponent  with his Tigers in an underdog situation, the Auburn coach likes to say it is going to take "special” to pull off an upset victory. On Friday, following his team’s practice at Legacy Arena preparing for No. 1 seed Houston, the coach said it is going to take more than special to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

“It is an opportunity to play maybe the best team in the country,” Auburn’s coach said. “Certainly a No. 1 seed. We are going to need to be on our game on both ends of the floor, but it is an opportunity for us to make history. It is going to take something real special.”

Tipoff is set for 6:10 p.m. CDT with television coverage on TBS. The winner advances to next week’s Midwest Regional Sweet 16 round in Kansas City.

Auburn defeated Iowa 83-75 on Thursday night. Immediately following that contest Houston pulled away late for a 63-52 victory over No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky.

Even though the 32-3 Cougars are favored to handle the 21-12 Tigers, Pearl noted his team has played well in three of its previous four games. “At Alabama, home against Tennessee and then (Thursday) night against Iowa, we played three really good basketball games,” he pointed out. “The game at Arkansas in the SEC Tournament, they played really well. We didn't play great.” The Tigers rallied late, but came up three points short in the Arkansas game.

“Can we continue to play that well? I just think the biggest thing is Houston's physicality, their ability to go get the ball, their length and their athleticism. That will remind my Auburn team of the most athletic, physical, tough teams in the SEC that we have had our hands full with.”

When the Tigers have played their best basketball this season it has often been the result of strong play off the bench, something that happened in the Iowa game.

“We are going to find out tomorrow night, but I  have always believed in not shortening your bench come tournament time,” Pearl said. “I know that's not certainly how the way it is in the NBA because I want my guys fresh and furious at the end to be able to win the game.

“I think it was very encouraging to see Tre Donaldson play without any fear. He is going to have a hard time keeping–we are all going to have a hard time keeping Houston's guards in front of us.

Bruce Pearl watches his Tigers in action during Auburn's victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports)

“We are all going to have a hard time dealing with Houston's pressure. They get up into you, and they make everything you do very,very difficult, but it was great to see Tre respond.

“Obviously, K.D. Johnson's energy and scoring ability off the bench, what a punch that is for us,” Pearl pointed out. “Lior Berman will guard physically, and he is going to make a shot. Even though yesterday was a birthday, and he didn't make a shot (three-pointer), he is going to make a shot. You have to guard him out there.

“Then Chris Moore probably isn't going to get talked about enough at all hardly. We had Jaylin Williams with two fouls early, and then Chris Moore kind of dings up his shoulder again, and he is out for the rest of the game. Now all of a sudden I'm playing Yohan Traore, who hasn't played much–really not sure at the position. Hadn't gotten a lot of reps at it.

“Allen Flanigan moves to the four,” Pearl noted. “Hadn't played a minute there all year long and we managed to sort of piece it together because of our depth, because of the play off the bench. Dylan Cardwell had a good series out there as well.”

*** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops***

[aubiefifty 16,777]

Houston vs. Auburn odds, prediction, betting trends for 2023 March Madness Round of 32 matchup

Sloan Piva

5–7 minutes

---

In what should be one of the better games of the second round, top-seeded Houston takes on ninth-seeded Auburn on Saturday evening (7:10 p.m. ET, TBS). The Cougars, ranked No. 1 on the KenPom and No. 2 on the final AP Poll, will look to make its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 but could be without star guard Marcus Sasser due to a groin injury. They also find themselves essentially playing a de facto road game, as the NCAA unfairly put Auburn in the region of the bracket that plays in Birmingham, a two-hour drive from the Tigers' home base. We have all the odds, trends, and betting predictions to get you ready for what should be a fantastic second-round bout. 

Houston beat 16-seed Northern Kentucky 63-52 in a game that ended up being a little too close for coach Kelvin Sampson's comfort. Sampson had to pull Sasser at halftime after his leading scorer appeared to aggravate his groin injury, prompting some nail biting for Cougar Nation with their squad up only 30-27 at intermission. Houston finally pulled away late in the second half, leading the frame 33-25 for a 63-52 victory, but this hardly looked like the team that dominated all season en route to a 32-3 record.

Ninth-seeded Auburn had a close first-round shave, too, despite the fact that the atmosphere basically mirrored a home-game setting for the fortunate Tigers. Bruce Pearl's squad prevailed 83-75 over eighth-seed Iowa, with the Tigers weathering a 49-point second-half surge by the Hawkeyes with 52 points of their own. Auburn wins with full-team grit-and-grind on both sides of the floor and has the kind of depth that could give a Sasser-less Cougars team some trouble. 

Will we see another early-tournament stunner? Here's everything to know about betting on Houston vs. Auburn in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction for this Round of 32 matchup.  

TSN's MARCH MADNESS HQ
Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Predictor tool

Houston vs. Auburn odds    

• Spread: Houston -5.5 (-110) | Auburn +5.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: OVER 131.5 (-110); UNDER 131.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Houston -250 | Auburn +200

The oddsmakers are trusting the Cougars' track record both this season and across the past few NCAA Tournaments. Before even hearing an update on Sasser, the sportsbooks had Houston favored by six. The total strikes us as even more surprising since both these squads are pretty good defensively, but Houston averaged 74.7 points this season while Auburn averaged 73.

Three betting trends to watch 

— Auburn went 3-1 against the spread versus ranked opponents this season.

— Auburn and Houston each went just 9-8 ATS combined on the road and in neutral sites this season. 

— The OVER went 20-13 in Auburn's games this season, but just 16-19 in Houston's. 

Houston key players  

With Sasser on the shelf, this is Jarace Walker's squad. A projected lottery pick, Walker might be the best defensive player in the NCAA, but he can also drop 16-25 points with relative ease. Houston also has J'wan Roberts, a constant double-double threat, wreaking havoc at the small forward position, and guard Jamal Shead serving as a playmaker and shot-creator. The Cougars are very good without Sasser but obviously nowhere near as elite as when he's healthy. If what we're now hearing about Shead's knee is true, it could be a long evening in Birmingham for this No. 1 seed.

Auburn key players  

Big man Johni Broome, an imposing presence on the interior, recorded his 10th double-double of the season in Thursday's win over Northern Kentucky. He also hit some clutch free throws to cement the victory, proving that the moment is not too big for the 20-year-old forward. Auburn also enjoyed complementary efforts from "the others" (as Shaq calls them). Guard Allen Flanigan had 10 points 10 boards, and four assists. Wendell Green Jr., Jaylin Wiliams, and K.D. Johnson also all scored in double-figures, as did freshman guard Tre Donaldson, who hit three triples.

Best individual matchup: Jarace Walker vs. Johni Broome

We'd love to get more creative here, but these two are the cream of the crop of this game if Sasser sits. They are similarly sized — Walker stands 6-8, 240 pounds with a 7-2 wingspan while Broome is listed at 6-10, 235 pounds. The big men should be physical down low early and often in this one. 

Houston vs. Auburn stat to know

56.4. That's how many points per game Houston surrendered this season. The Cougars were the only team in the nation that ranked top six in both offensive and defensive rating on the year. 

EXPERT PICKS:
DeCourcy (Alabama) | Bender (Kansas) | Fagan (Marquette) | Pohnl (Kansas)

Houston vs. Auburn prediction  

Auburn has a very strong opportunity to mount the upset of the second round. The Tigers have a strong, athletic rotation and they're basically playing in their backyard. Houston, which just struggled at times with a 16 seed from a low-major, could be without Sasser and apparently Sampson is "very concerned" about Shead's knee. We might roll out a two-way teaser with Auburn's spread and the OVER, but we're more than likely just going to bet the Tigers' spread on its own and hope for some more history. 

Prediction: Auburn 72, Houston 69. Auburn (+5.5) wins straight up and the OVER hits with ease (131.5).

See what BetQL is projecting for Houston-Auburn, along with sharp picks, value bets, and more for every March Madness game! 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

collegefootballnews.com

 

Houston vs Auburn Prediction, Game Preview, NCAA Tournament Second Round

Pete Fiutak

~3 minutes

---

Houston vs Auburn Prediction, Game Preview

Houston vs Auburn How To Watch

Date: Saturday, March 18
Game Time: 7:10 pm
Venue: Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL
How To Watch: COMING
Record: Houston (32-3), Auburn (21-12)
- NCAA Tournament Schedule, Previews, Predictions

Why Auburn Will Win

Does Houston seem right to you?

Yes it's 32-3. Yes everything was just fine right up unto the American Athletic Conference Championship loss to Memphis, it's hard to argue with a 14-1 run in the last 15 games. 

The Marcus Sasser injury is making a difference, but more than anything else, the team doesn't have the same explosion on both ends of the floor. 

When everything is humming, it's able to put teams away with big runs and a suffocating defense. The Houston that was ripping through everyone in February wouldn't have struggled on the boards - even though it was +9 - against Northern Kentucky and wouldn't have struggled so much to put the game away against a team like that.

Auburn might have been flaky coming in to the NCAA Tournament - it lost nine of 13 games before dropping Iowa - but it's shooting well, held the high-powered Iowa offense to just 26% from three, and ...

- 25 Worst Basketball/Football Schools

 

Recommended for You

 

Why Houston Will Win

The Houston defense is still playing well.

The offense sputtered in the loss to Memphis, and the D looked tired, but in the first round it held the Norse to just 28% from the field and ramped up the defensive stops late when it absolutely had to.

And don't get too geeked out by Auburn's win over Iowa.

Defense is polite rumor with the Hawkeyes, and they didn't do much of anything to stop Auburn from doing anything it wanted. The Houston defense isn't going to allow a thing from the outside, it'll be amazing on the free throw line, and ...

Houston vs Auburn What's Going To Happen

Again, the production is still there for Houston, but the Memphis game from last week might be a bit more like the team really is right now. Auburn will take advantage of that.

The Tigers are brutally flawed. They're dangerous enough to get on the move and fly up and down the court like they did to start the second half against Iowa, but the defense is going to be the downfall ...

Next weekend. Houston won't be able to put the Tigers away when it has the chance, and unlike the Northern Kentucky win, it's not going to be able to handle the energy on the other side.

Houston vs Auburn Prediction, Line

Auburn 69, Houston 68
Line: Houston -5.5, o/u: 131
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Must See Ranking: 4
- Houston vs Auburn Expert Picks
- NCAA Tournament Schedule, Previews, Predictions

 

i know two of these are similar but i was not sure which one is the most credible.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

 

[aubiefifty 16,777]

sportsbookwire.usatoday.com

 

Auburn vs Houston NCAA Tournament Second Round odds, tips and betting trends

DataSkrive

4–5 minutes

---

The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (32-3) will compete with the No. 9 seed Auburn Tigers (21-12) on Saturday with a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament up for grabs. Tune in to watch this game at 7:10 PM on TBS.

The Cougars hit the court as 5.5-point favorites against the Tigers. The point total for the game is set at 131.5.

Houston is 18-16-1 against the spread, while Auburn’s ATS record this season is 16-16-1. The Cougars have a 15-19-1 record going over the point total, while games involving the Tigers have a record of 20-13-0 when it comes to hitting the over. The teams average 147.7 points per game, 16.2 more points than this matchup’s total. Houston is 2-7-1 against the spread and 9-1 overall over its past 10 contests, while Auburn has gone 4-5-1 against the spread and 4-6 overall.

Here is what you need to get ready for Saturday’s college hoops action.

Auburn at Houston odds, spread and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list.

• Spread: Houston -5.5
• Total: 131.5
• Moneyline: Houston -253, Auburn +204

Let’s Make This Interesting – Place your legal sports bets online in New Jersey and Colorado with Tipico Sportsbook, a trusted, global sports-betting leader. Iowa, get ready, Tipico is coming to your state soon! New customer offer: Deposit $10 or more, get $100 in instant bet credits! 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!

Houston vs. Auburn prediction

Houston 72, Auburn 64

Moneyline

• Houston is 27-3 in games when it was favored on the moneyline (winning 90%).
• The Cougars are 25-2 (winning 92.6% of their games) when playing as a moneyline favorite of -253 or shorter.
• Based on this contest’s moneyline, Houston has an implied win probability of 71.7%.

• Auburn has been listed as the underdog seven times this season and have failed to win any of those games.
• The Tigers have been at least a +204 moneyline underdog two times this season, but was upset in each of those games.
• The moneyline for this contest implies a 32.9% chance of a victory for Auburn.

Against the spread

• Houston has put together an 18-16-1 ATS record so far this year.
• Auburn has won 16 games against the spread this year, while failing to cover or pushing 17 times.
• The Cougars average 74.7 points per game, 7.4 more points than the 67.3 the Tigers allow.
• Houston is 16-8-1 against the spread and 25-0 overall when scoring more than 67.3 points.
• Auburn is 13-10 against the spread and 20-3 overall when giving up fewer than 74.7 points.
• The Tigers average 16.6 more points per game (73.0) than the Cougars give up to opponents (56.4).
• Auburn is 14-14 against the spread and 19-9 overall when it scores more than 56.4 points.
• Houston has an ATS record of 17-12-1 and a 28-2 record overall when its opponents score fewer than 73.0 points.

PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests and win prizes. Play now!

Over/Under

• The Cougars have an average implied point total of 75.5 this season, which is 6.5 points higher than their implied total in Saturday’s game (69).
• This season, Houston has put up more than 69 points in 26 games.
• The 74.4-point average implied total on the season for the Tigers is 11.4 more points than the team’s 63-point implied total in this matchup.
• So far this season, Auburn has scored more than 63 points 29 times.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, our official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

 

 

for the record i am not promoting gambling but if it has info i will post it unless it is against site rules.

[aubiefifty 16,777]

Auburn's Yohan Traore addresses future but focusing on NCAA Tournament run

Published: Mar. 17, 2023, 5:51 p.m.

5–6 minutes

---

When Bruce Pearl signaled down toward the end of the bench Thursday night and called Yohan Traore’s name, the freshman combo forward felt a jolt of excitement course through him.

Traore’s freshman season hasn’t gone as some would have expected, given his five-star status as one of the top-25 players in the 2022 class. He essentially fell out of Auburn’s regular rotation at the start of SEC, playing sporadically as Auburn fought toward a 10-8 record in conference action.

Read more Auburn basketball: Injured Houston guards “100 percent” playing against Auburn

Johni Broome’s first-round performance unlike any other by an SEC player since Anthony Davis in 2012

“No injury could put me down”: Chris Moore confident despite reaggravation of shoulder injury

Yet there was Traore, the 6-foot-10 Frenchman, with an opportunity in the NCAA Tournament. With starting power forward Jaylin Williams hampered by early foul trouble and Chris Moore reaggravating a shoulder injury, Pearl turned to Traore for some valuable minutes off the bench in ninth-seeded Auburn’s 83-75 win against eighth-seeded Iowa at Legacy Arena.

“It was crazy,” Traore said Friday. “You know, when he called my name, I was so excited.”

Traore played three rotations in the opening-round win, logging nine minutes off the bench for the Tigers on a night where the reserves proved crucial as the team advanced to the Round of 32, where they’ll face top-seeded Houston on Saturday night (6:10 p.m. CT on TBS). Traore didn’t score or attempt a shot, and his only stat was a foul he committed, but he was a plus-five in his time on the court and was able to get his feet wet in the NCAA Tournament.

“It means that they trust me,” Traore said. “I feel like I stay ready, so eventually if somebody gets hurt, I’ll be ready. I wasn’t surprised when they called my name, and I feel like I just took the opportunity.”

Those opportunities have been hard to come by for Traore during his first season of college ball. He was a regular in the rotation during nonconference play, when he logged double-digit minutes in 11 of the 12 games he appeared in and split time at the four and the five. When SEC play got underway, though, Traore’s rotations were more sporadic. He averaged just seven minutes per game in 11 appearances during SEC play and scored 12 total points across those games.

It was a difficult adjustment for Traore, a five-star prospect who originally signed with LSU but got a release from his letter of intent after Will Wade was fired last year. He then visited Auburn and signed with Bruce Pearl’s team soon thereafter.

“It was tough, mentally, but I just got to keep my head up,” Traore said. “I kept working. I feel like I did a great job staying ready. It was tough mentally, but I feel like I got over it now.”

That meant, as Pearl is fond of saying, staying right and staying ready — even if it meant a more predominant role on the scout team instead of the Tigers’ regular rotation. But Traore made the most of those practice reps and extra time in the gym (Williams said Traore often “goes crazy” and “gets buckets” against the rotation players while running with the scout team in practice), and he has started to regain his confidence and his rhythm.

“It’s amazing to me because Yo, like sometimes he be rotating at four and five,” Williams said. “Like, my freshman year, I couldn’t remember no plays. You could ask any of our senior class, like Yo’s always knowing — he has a feel for it. He already knows where he needs to be. He’s going to be playing physical, and he’s going to be himself all the time.”

There’s still a learning curve for Traore, whose basketball experience is relatively limited. He only began playing the sport a few years ago, and while he has the physical tools that project a high ceiling, it’s going to be a process for him to actualize that potential.

But will that happen at Auburn? Traore said he’s focused on the moment and contributing to the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament run, but his plan is to “most likely” return to the Plains next season instead of exploring the transfer portal. He expressed appreciation for Pearl’s continued belief in him and fellow freshman Chance Westry, adding that the two former top-40 recruits can “really do some big things” next season.

“(Traore’s) future holds a lot,” Williams said. “Yo just started playing basketball not that many years ago, so when he gets a great feel for the game — he already has his shot, but when he gets his form right and all those things together, he’s going to be great.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.