Jan. 3, 2011
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AUBURN - Freshman Josh Langford scored a season-high 16 points, Earnest Ross added 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and walk-on Josh Wallace had 9 points, 7 assists and 4 steals to lead Auburn to its fourth straight victory in a 65-60 victory over Florida State in Auburn Arena on Monday.
Auburn (7-7) held Florida State to only 35.0 percent shooting from the field and 19.2 percent (5-of-26) shooting from 3-point range. It was the Seminoles who came into the game No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense, but the Tigers shot 46.8 percent, including a season-high 42.1 percent (8-of-19) from 3-point range.
Auburn, which led for the majority of the game, and Florida State were tied at 46 with under five minutes to play. Langford, who went 4-of-5 from 3-point range after entering the game 4-of-12, sank his final trey to put the Tigers up for good at 49-46. Frankie Sullivan made his only 3-pointer in five attempts to give Auburn a 52-47 edge with 3:30 to go.
Wallace scored five straight points for Auburn for a 57-50 lead with 1:13 left to seal the biggest win thus far for first-year Auburn head coach Tony Barbee.
"I have been telling the guys that they have to keep taking steps forward," said Auburn head coach Tony Barbee. "You are going to hear me say it over and over again, but when you have a young team like we've got, you want to keep taking those positive steps every time we hit the floor whether it is practice or a game.
"You can tell a difference. It is night and day when you look back to the first game of the year. After winning four in a row, we have the momentum going into league play. We have been getting better. There is no question how Frankie (Sullivan), being back 65 or 70 percent, brings the toughness and leadership and it is contagious."
Trailing 17-16, Auburn scored nine straight points to take its biggest lead of the first half at 25-17 capped by a Langford 3-pointer. The Tigers led 27-22 at the half after holding the Seminoles to only 24.2 percent from the field and 1-of-15 from behind the arc.
"We knew it was Florida State, and they're an ACC team," said Langford. "They're very good. Coach Barbee was telling us we have to come out and play tough and start rebounding every possession and play hard every possession. So, that's what we did, and we came out with a victory.
"I was feeling good. I think I could have driven the ball more, but the shots were open, and they were giving it to me so I was shooting and knocking them down. So, I had to keep doing it."
After Auburn scored the first basket after intermission, Florida State (11-4, 1-0 ACC) reeled off nine straight points to regain the lead 31-29. The Tigers used an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the game at 45-36 with 11:15 to play as Allen Payne and Ross made consecutive 3-pointers.
"Let me say this," said Barbee. "Earnest Ross is playing the best basketball I have seen him play. He is just playing within himself. He is doing the little things. Coming up with a double-double was big in this game. We had a lot of guys contribute like Josh Langford making those threes. He is starting to play with confidence offensively.
"Even though (Rob) Chubb didn't rebound, I thought he did some things offensively. Josh Wallace is the motor that keeps us going. He had 9 points and 7 assists and 4 rebounds. It is not how big you are, it is how big you play."
The Seminoles, which had beaten No. 15 Baylor 68-61 in its previous game and had lost to 2010 NCAA Tournament runner-up Butler 67-64 prior to that, would not go away as they quickly answered with a 10-1 run to tie it at 46 with 6:40 remaining.
The much taller Seminoles outrebounded the Tigers 40-33, including 16-4 on the offensive boards. Auburn had 18 turnovers to Florida State's 14. Auburn went 13-of-18 (.722) from the foul line while Florida State made just half of its 26 free throws.
Rob Chubb added 10 points for Auburn while Kenny Gabriel added 5 points and 8 rebounds. Payne had 7 points and Sullivan 6.
Six-foot-9 junior Chris Singleton, a future NBA first rounder, totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds but only went 4-of-12 from the free throw line for Florida State. Derwin Kitchen added 12 points, 7 assists, 6 boards and 4 steals.
Auburn plays host to LSU (8-6) in the SEC opener for both teams on Saturday at 5 pm Central in Auburn Arena. The game will be televised by FSN.