Dec. 9, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Bryce Brown finished with 27 points and Jared Harper made 3 of 4 free throws over the final 27 seconds to lead Auburn to an 85-80 win over UAB on Saturday.
The Tigers (8-1) won their sixth straight game after surrendering most of a 13-point second-half advantage to the Blazers (6-4) but never the lead.
The Tigers made 12 of 14 free throws down the stretch.
Malik Dunbar, subbing for an injured Mustapha Heron, grabbed one of the misses for a putback. He scored off another offensive rebound with 39 seconds left after Nick Norton's 3-pointer cut the margin to 80-78. Harper sealed the win at the line.
Brown had 23 of his 27 points in the first half. He made 6 of 9 3-point attempts and had 15 consecutive points for Auburn during a stretch of the first half. Harper had 21 points and five assists while Desean Murray added 18 points and seven rebounds.
Chris Cokley led the way for the Blazers. He had 26 points and nine rebounds while making 8 of 12 shots and all 10 free throw attempts.
UAB cut a 13-point second-half deficit to 71-70 on Jalen Perry's 3-pointer with 4:21 left. Auburn delivered at the foul line to hold off the Blazers.
The already short-handed Tigers were minus Heron, who left Wednesday night's game with Gardner-Webb with back spasms. They've played all season without center Austin Wiley and forward Danjel Purifoy amid an internal investigation into the program.
Dunbar had nine points and six rebounds in his first start.