LAHAINA, Hawaii – In a commanding performance, Johni Broome contributed significantly with 21 points and 16 rebounds, guiding the No. 4 Auburn team to clinch the Maui Invitational championship with a final score of 90-76 against Memphis on Wednesday.

Auburn (7-0) initiated the contest with a strong 9-0 lead thanks to Broome’s three-pointer from the right wing just 22 seconds after the tip-off. By halftime, Broome had already racked up 15 points and 11 rebounds, finishing the game shooting 8 for 15 from the field, alongside six assists and four blocks.

Dylan Cardwell had an impressive shooting night, hitting 100% of his attempts from the field for an 18-point contribution. Other notable scores included Chad Baker-Mazara with 14 points and Denver Jones adding 11 points for Auburn.

On the opposing side, PJ Haggerty was Memphis’ standout player, netting 27 points with an 11-of-20 shooting effort while teammate Dain Dainja provided 15 points. At halftime, Auburn led with a score of 47-31, later stretching the advantage to 22 points with just four minutes remaining in the contest.

Takeaways from the game revealed that Memphis’s senior guard Tyrese Hunter, who was a preseason first-team All-AAC choice, managed to score just 11 points after having put up 23 points in Tuesday’s semifinal victory over Michigan State. Hunter did not find the scoring column until 16:32 into the second half of Wednesday’s matchup.

This victory is historical for Auburn, as they become only the third SEC team to ever win the Maui Invitational in its 40-year history, joining Vanderbilt (1986) and Kentucky (1993) as champions.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Auburn successfully executed back-to-back three-pointers from Broome and JP Pegues. Both shots were the result of offensive rebounding by Cardwell, with Broome hitting a three on the right wing followed by Pegues’ shot on the left side, extending their lead to 39-19 at the 4:33 mark in the first half.

In terms of statistics, Auburn demonstrated exemplary teamwork, achieving 23 assists while only committing nine turnovers throughout the game.

Looking ahead, both teams are set to take the court again on Wednesday. Memphis will host Louisiana Tech, while Auburn will face the challenge of visiting No. 11 Duke.