Shorthanded Auburn routs Alabama, closes in on SEC title

Shorthanded Auburn routs Alabama, closes in on SEC titleShorthanded Auburn routs Alabama, closes in on SEC title

Feb. 21, 2018

By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com

AUBURN, Ala. - What's wrong with a little more Chuma?

Nothing, if you're an Auburn basketball fan.

Bruce Pearl asked the question, rhetorically, on Monday, explaining Auburn's strategy in the wake of a key injury.

Chuma Okeke delivered a double-double, a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds, in No. 12 Auburn's 90-71 win Wednesday over Alabama.

Already shorthanded after Anfernee McLemore's season-ending ankle injury, Auburn faced its in-state rival without second-leading scorer Mustapha Heron, sidelined with a stomach bug.

"I just knew I had to step up with two of our teammates down," Okeke said. "I knew I had to pick it up in rebounding and scoring too."

Jared Harper scored 21 points and added six assists, while Malik Dunbar, starting in Heron's place, contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. Bryce Brown added 18 points.

"When Chuma's playing like that, we're very hard to beat," Harper said. "I just want to come out every game and prove I'm one of the best guards in the country and one of the best guards in the SEC. It doesn't matter who the matchup is, I'm just looking forward to every game just to prove everybody what I'm capable of doing."

Auburn never trailed. The Tigers broke open a close game with a 17-2 second-half run, punctuated by Horace Spencer's thunderous follow-up slam.

"Just a tremendous team effort," Pearl said. "One that, if we can win this championship, I think will be pretty historic."

With three games remaining, Auburn leads Tennessee by two in the SEC standings.

The Tigers outrebounded their much larger opponent, 41-35.

Leading by 3, Okeke's slam reenergized the sellout crowd, Auburn's sixth of the season.

"I'm not sure if there was a better environment anywhere in college basketball tonight," Pearl said.

The freshman scored five straight points, including a 3-point play off an offensive rebound to put the Tigers up by 12, 67-55.

"He can play," Pearl said. "He really stepped up. So did Davion in the second half."

Fellow freshman Davion Mitchell hit a pair of 3-pointers to extend the lead to 15, 75-60.

Bryce Brown's jump shot gave Auburn a 20-point lead at 82-62.

Collin Sexton led Alabama with 25.

Auburn raced to an 8-0 lead in the first 1:12, with Spencer's layup and 3-pointers from Harper and Dunbar.

Harper hit a 3 from 8 feet behind the line, followed by Dunbar's 3-pointer, giving Auburn a 14-2 lead.

Brown hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put Auburn in front 26-17 at the 8:37 mark.

After an 8-0 Alabama run tied the score at 30, Auburn answered with its own 8-0 run, keyed by 3s from Okeke and Brown.

Sexton hit a shot at the buzzer to trim Auburn's halftime lead to 40-35.

The Tigers improved to 24-4, 12-3 in the SEC, closing in on the conference championship.

Auburn plays at Florida Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT.

"It's special beyond compare," Pearl said. "This team is trying to make history. We've got a long way to go. What we're seeing is rare. This combination of grit, determination, resiliency, family, it's all right here. Enjoy this, because it doesn't happen very often."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer