Dec. 14, 2005
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn shot 54.3 percent from the floor and three players scored in double figures as the Tigers held off Southeastern Louisiana 66-51 on Wednesday.
Both Frank Tolbert and Daniel Hayles set new season highs with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Tolbert finished 5-of-8 from the field, while Hayles set a new career high with three three-pointers.
With Southeastern Louisiana (5-2) trailing by eight (43-35) with 12:07 remaining in the game, Auburn (4-2) used a 15-2 run to bury the Lions.
"It was a good win for our team," head coach Jeff Lebo said. "Our defense played hard, and we played well offensively. We played smarter tonight and they were pressuring us. Any time you hold a team to 51 points, you have to be pleased with the defensive effort."
Both teams opened the game shooting 1-of-8 from the floor, but the cold shooting did not last for the Tigers, who shot 60.9 percent from the field on 14-of-23 shooting.
Korvotney Barber matched his career high with eight rebounds. Quantez Robertson had seven assists and five points, while only turning the ball over two times in 38 minutes.
The Tigers led 27-17 at the break and never let the Lions get any closer than eight points the remainder of the game.
Auburn held an early 12-11 edge before Ronny LeMelle knocked down a turnaround in the paint at the 8:24 mark that sparked a 15-0 run and increased the Tigers' lead to 16 (27-11). Ricky Woods ended the Tigers' run with a dunk at the 1:23 mark and the Lions scored the final six points of the half.
With 2:11 remaining in the first half, LeMelle and Tolbert banged heads diving for a loose ball. The collision halted play and sent LeMelle to the locker room, where he got received 25 stitches to close a gash above his left eye. Tolbert's injury did not require any stitches from.
The 17 first-half points by the Lions were the fewest points scored against the Tigers in any half this season. Auburn held the Lions to just 5-of-21 (23.8) shooting in the first half.
Rasheem Barrett led the Tigers at the half with seven points on 3-of-3 shooting. As a team, Auburn shot 47.8 percent (11-23) from the field in the half.
Daryl Cohen led the Lions with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Ricky Woods entered the game averaging a team-high 18.2 points per game, but the Tigers limited him to just 12 points.
Auburn returns to the hardwood on Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Tigers face John Chaney and the Temple Owls.