Auburn clinched an exciting 74-69 victory over No. 4 Houston on Saturday, marking head coach Bruce Pearl’s third win in opposition to an AP Ballot high 5 workforce since becoming a member of the Tigers. The sport was a back-and-forth battle, with each groups buying and selling leads late within the second half.
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Auburn’s Johni Broome was dominant, main with 20 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks, whereas freshman Tahaad Pettiford made his mark off the bench with 21 factors, hitting 5-of-8 from past the arc. Houston countered with robust performances from Emanuel Sharp, who scored 13 factors, and J’Wan Roberts, who added 12 factors and seven rebounds.
With lower than two minutes remaining, Houston’s Sharp drilled a three-pointer to briefly reclaim the lead, however Auburn shortly responded with clutch free throws and a key defensive cease. Houston’s LJ Cryer went chilly within the closing moments, lacking essential photographs as Auburn sealed the win.
The victory strengthens Auburn’s resume in early-season play, proving it will possibly take care of top-ranked groups. For Houston, the loss highlights areas for enchancment because it goals to solidify its standing within the Energy 4 conferences.
Marisa Flores joined NCAA.com in January 2024. She has 4 years of expertise as a sports activities reporter and digital producer, beforehand working at NFL Community (2023), The Sporting Tribune (2022-2024) and FOX TV Stations (2022). She can be a information assistant at ABC7 Los Angeles and a proud alumnus of California State College, Fullerton the place she majored in Communications (Class of 2023).
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