Dec. 31, 2005
AUBURN, Ala. - Rasheem Barrett and Josh Dollard combined to score 57 of Auburn's 87 points as the Tigers fought off a pesky Jacksonville State squad 87-83 on Saturday.
Trailing 74-72, Quantez Robertson connected on a three-pointer with 5:11 to play to give the Tigers a 75-74 lead - their first since leading 38-35 at the 2:24 mark of the first half. The field goal by Robertson was his only of the game and it helped the Tigers close the game on a 17-9 run.
"It wasn't pretty, but we found a way to win," head coach Jeff Lebo said. "I was worried about our team both physically and mentally coming off of the Winthrop game. Jacksonville State is tough when their shots fall. We didn't have an answer with our defense until the last 10 minutes of the game. Rasheem (Barrett) was terrific tonight and against Winthrop. He kept us up there with them and we finally got over the hump."
Dollard finished with a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, while also collecting a team-high eight rebounds. Barrett scored 20 of a high career-high 28 points in the second half and finished 9-of-14 from the field.
Trailing 44-40 at the half, the combination of Barrett and Dollard scored 28 of the Tigers' first 30 points to open the second half. The duo also helped Auburn (7-3) outscore Jacksonville State's (5-5) bench 71-16 in the win.
Just as he did in the Winthrop game on Thursday when he scored 14 straight points in the second half for the Tigers, Barrett took Auburn's scoring matter into his own hands by rattling off nine of the Tigers' first 11 points to start the second half.
Barrett's scoring tear cut the Gamecocks' lead to six, 57-51, after Jacksonville State opened the half on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 12, 52-40.
The Gamecocks' opened the second half on a 10-2 run buoyed by B.J. Spencer's eight straight points. Spencer finished the game with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
Courtney Bradley led Jacksonville State with a career-high 20 points, while corralling 10 rebounds.
With Auburn trailing 21-20 in the first half, Josh Dollard scored a bucket at the 8:55 mark of the first half that triggered an 18-6 run and a 38-27 lead with 3:46 to play in the half.
Jacksonville State responded with a 15-0 run of its own to reclaim the lead at 42-38 with under a minute to play. Rasheem Barrett ended the Tigers drought with two free throws before the Gamecocks' Walker D. Russell hit a jumper in the lane as the horn sounded to give Jacksonville State a 44-40 lead at the half.
Both teams began the game hot from the three-point arc as 15 of the first 28 points of the game were scored on threes.
Dollard scored 12 of the Tigers first 24 points, six of which came on dunks. He finished the half with 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field.
Brett Howell made his return to the court after missing the past six games due to a foot injury. He connected on a three-pointer in the first half for his first points of the year.
Auburn returns to action on Wednesday as the Tigers host Southern Miss at 4:45 p.m. at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.