AUBURN, Ala. – In a tune-up for the Maui Invitational No. 9 Auburn improved to 3-0, dispatching Division II Mississippi College 103-52 Wednesday night at Auburn Arena.
Horace Spencer logged his first career double-double with career highs in points (14) and rebounds (17).
Austin Wiley led six Tigers in double figures with 18 points while grabbing seven rebounds in 16 minutes. Wiley was 5 of 7 from the floor and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line.
"Give Mississippi College credit, they played hard and played a bunch of guys," head coach Bruce Pearl said. "A lot of those kids got experience playing in a Division-1 atmosphere, and it was fun for them.
"Obviously, they were outmanned, but it gave us an opportunity to get it inside a little bit. Horace Spencer and Austin Wiley both took advantage inside. We had an arena record 66 rebounds and that was positive for us."
Bryce Brown scored 16. Samir Doughy scored 13 while Jared Harper added 12 and Malik Dunbar chipped in 10.
Chuma Okeke, the SEC's Player of the Week, made Auburn's first bucket of the second half, a 3-pointer. Okeke and Anfernee McLemore each had seven rebounds.
The Tigers built a 58-point lead down the stretch on the strength of a 35-0 run, holding the Choctaws scoreless for more than 11 minutes.
J'Von McCormick's dunk with 3:33 remaining helped Auburn reach the century mark for the second time in three games.
The Tigers scored the game's first 16 points and led 48-29 at the half. Wiley scored 11 in the half, including a jump hook from the baseline that gave Auburn a 23-2 lead.
Auburn plays Xavier Monday at 1:30 p.m. CT in the first game of the Maui Invitational, the first of three games in three days for the Tigers. All three games will be carried on the Auburn Sports Network and the ESPN family of networks.
No. 9 Auburn overwhelms Mississippi College in Maui Invitational tune-up
