Auburn Advances to Elite Eight with Victory Over Michigan

ATLANTA, GA — The Auburn Tigers overcame a nine-point deficit in the second half to defeat the Michigan Wolverines 78-65 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday night.

With this victory, the Tigers secured a spot in the Elite Eight for only the third time in school history. Auburn, the No. 1 seed and Southeastern Conference champion, rallied late, outscoring Michigan 39-17 in the final 12 minutes, showcasing their offensive firepower and strong defense.

Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones each contributed 20 points, while Johni Broome led the team with 22 points and 16 rebounds. “Just the kids’ will to win,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “Denver got heated up. Tahaad got heated up. We went to them, and they delivered.”

Despite a strong start, Michigan stumbled in the second half, struggling with turnovers and lackluster scoring. Danny Wolf was the standout for the Wolverines, scoring 20 points, but Michigan’s overall performance was inconsistent, with no other player scoring more than 10 points. Coach Dusty May expressed pride in his team’s journey, acknowledging the legacy left by this year’s squad.

The first half was tightly contested, with both teams combining for a significant number of turnovers. Auburn maintained a slight edge at halftime, leading 30-29 despite shooting only 32.4% from the field. The Tigers gained momentum from their rebounding advantage, finishing with a 48-33 edge on the boards.

As the game progressed, the energy in State Farm Arena shifted. The arena, filled predominantly with Auburn supporters, erupted when the Tigers mounted their comeback, further elevating their performance. “If you’re the overall No. 1 seed, you should be able to play close enough to home so the fans can see it,” Pearl noted.

Looking ahead, Auburn will face the Michigan State Spartans in the Elite Eight on Sunday. The Spartans earlier defeated Mississippi in the night’s first game. “They do it the right way and they will be an honorable opponent,” Pearl said about Michigan State. “We have 24 hours to get ready for them.”

With their impressive victory, Auburn made a strong statement as they look to secure their first Final Four berth since 2019. The game highlighted both teams’ strengths and weaknesses, with Auburn demonstrating their resilience and depth in the face of adversity.