Auburn Defeats Alabama State 83-63 in NCAA Tournament Opener

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Top-seeded Auburn advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament with an 83-63 victory over 16th-seeded Alabama State on Thursday at Rupp Arena.

In their first-round matchup, Auburn’s Miles Kelly led the team with 23 points, matching Bryce Brown’s program record with seven three-pointers. The Tigers were strong in the second half, expanding their lead and securing the win after a lackluster first period.

“Give Alabama State credit,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl. “I thought we lacked some effort and energy at times. Thank God we didn’t. We had a couple of guys really step up. We need to play better.”

Kelly, a key player for Auburn, expressed his satisfaction with his performance, saying, “My teammates did a great job of finding me. All I had to do was knock down the shot. It’s special to tie a record like that, especially in March.”

The Auburn defense intensified after the halftime break, quickly doubling their lead. Tahaad Pettiford chipped in 16 points, while Johni Broome recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, breaking the program’s record for double-doubles in a season with his 19th.

“It means a lot to solidify my name in Auburn history,” Broome noted after the game.

Despite a rough start, Auburn took control late in the first half, closing on a 9-0 run to secure a 41-31 lead by halftime. Alabama State’s Amarr Knox led his team with 18 points but couldn’t maintain the momentum in the second half.

Auburn, with a 29-5 overall record, now prepares to face No. 9 seed Creighton, who defeated eighth-seeded Louisville in their first game. Pearl acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “Creighton is really good, they’re really tough. We will have to play a lot better to beat them.”

Alabama State coach Tony Madlock praised his team’s efforts, remarking, “This was a historic season for the Hornets, and they represented their university in an outstanding way.”

The game featured 46 rebounds for Auburn against Alabama State’s 36, as both teams worked hard on the boards. However, Auburn struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 56.3% of their attempts.

The crowd at Rupp Arena was electrified at times, especially as Alabama State put up a strong resistance, coming within one point late in the first half before Auburn pulled away. Auburn maintained their dominance through the second half, showcasing their strength and skill as they aim to progress through the tournament.