In a fiercely contested matchup, Auburn secured a 82-70 victory over Creighton on Saturday night, propelling them into the NCAA Tournamentโs Sweet 16. The team, led by coach Bruce Pearl, demonstrated their defensive prowess in the second half after a challenging start.
Auburnโs Tahaad Pettiford was instrumental in the win, scoring 16 of his total 23 points after halftime. His performance was complemented by Chad Baker-Mazara, who added 17 points. During a pivotal 10-0 run in the second half, Auburn held Creighton scoreless for over six minutes. Pettifordโs six contributions during this period helped extend Auburnโs lead to 68-54.
Reflecting on the teamโs strategy, Pettiford noted, โWe knew the shots that we were going to get.โ Supported by his teammates, he successfully executed 7 of 14 shots and maintained a strong presence at the foul line.
As the top seed in the tournament, Auburn achieved a 30-5 record, earning a spot in the South Region semifinals set in Atlanta the coming weekend. There, they will face Michigan, the fifth seed. This achievement marks Auburnโs advancement beyond the second round since their 2019 Final Four run, igniting hopes for a first-ever national championship.
Coach Pearl expressed pride in his teamโs performance, stating, โWe played like the No. 1 team in the country.โ He also used the opportunity to advocate for the release of Edan Alexander, an American hostage in Gaza.
Creightonโs journey in the tournament under coach Greg McDermott ended after reaching the Sweet 16 in three of the last four years. In his final game, Ryan Kalkbrenner, a senior center, led Creighton with 18 points. McDermott praised Kalkbrennerโs contributions, emphasizing his legacy at Creighton.
The game, characterized by seven ties and 16 lead changes, saw Creighton with a slight advantage at the half, leading 37-35 due to their strong perimeter shooting. Despite a brief lead from Creighton at 50-48, a crucial three-point play by Baker-Mazara shifted the momentum permanently in Auburnโs favor.
In addition to Pettiford and Baker-Mazara, Auburn benefited from Denver Jones adding 15 points. Creightonโs Steven Ashworth and Jamiya Neal scored 13 points each, with support from Jackson McAndrewโs 12 points.
Baker-Mazara, battling a hip injury mid-game, returned after treatment to contribute further to Auburnโs victory. Coach Pearl highlighted Baker-Mazaraโs resilience, downplaying the injury to a likely bruise.
Auburnโs dominance was reflected in their bench outscoring Creighton 31-10 and their second-half shooting percentage soaring to 60%. Conversely, Creighton struggled in the latter half with a shooting percentage drop, finishing the game at 42%. The Tigersโ strong presence in the paint was also a deciding factor in their triumph.