AUBURN, Ala. – No. 20 Auburn got another huge game from Keyshawn Hall and turned up the defensive intensity, forcing 15 straight missed shots to defeat Merrimack 95-57 Thursday at Neville Arena.
“Decent response after a tough game on Monday,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “As the game went on, we did a better job offensively. Defensively, switching bothered everything they were doing. I’m never going to complain about a win. Just need to use it as an opportunity to get better.”
Auburn maximized its size advantage, getting a combined 50 points from Hall, Emeka Opurum and Sebastian Williams-Adams. Hall led the Tigers with 25 points and 14 rebounds, his first Auburn double-double. In his first two games on the Plains, Hall is 28-for-31 from the free-throw line.
“My biggest thing coming from Cleveland is being physical,” Hall said. “I’m trying to go get fouled. That’s how I make my living right there.”
In his Auburn debut, the 7-foot Opurum went 4-for-4 from the field, scored 11 points and added four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal.
“Coach Steve told me to step up and do what I do best,” Opurum said. “I believed in myself. You have to believe in yourself and always be ready to get your opportunity.”
“It was great to see him have some success and it was great to watch his teammates be excited for his success,” Pearl said. “I’m happy for him.”
Williams-Adams led Auburn with five assists and scored 14 points, Tahaad Pettiford scored 13 points and Abdul Bashir added 10, giving the Tigers five double figures scorers.
Filip Jovic grabbed seven of his 10 rebounds on offense and scored nine points, helping Auburn outrebound Merrimack 55-24.
“That’s a positive,” Pearl said. “Our guys did a better job in the second half keeping them off the offensive glass.”
“That was a big theme coming into the game,” Hall said. “If you want to score the ball, how about you go rebound the ball. We knew we had to check out because all the upcoming teams on our schedule are way bigger.”
The Tigers need a few minutes to get going offensively before putting together an early 11-0 run highlighted by Kevin Overton’s clock-beating 3-pointer and Opurum’s reverse layup.
Playing without center KeShawn Murphy, Opurum gave Auburn seven points, four rebounds and two blocks in 10 first-half minutes off the bench, including a dunk after Williams-Adams’ assist.
“I tried my best to step up as much as possible,” Opurum said. “Have to stand up and contest as many shots as possible because you never know what a contest can do.”
Auburn held the visitors to single digits for more than 14 minutes before Ernest Shelton hit three 3-pointers in three and a half minutes late in the half. The Tigers limited the Warriors to 19.4-percent shooting in the first half, taking a 39-22 halftime lead. Shelton led Merrimack with 23 points.
Leading by 17 points at the half, the Tigers used a 13-0 run to double their lead. Hall’s 3-pointer put the Tigers on top 55-30. The first of back-to-back Opurum dunks gave Auburn a 30-point lead.
Bashir’s 3-pointer in the final minute put the Tigers up by 40, allowing Pearl to reward walk-on scout teamers with playing time.
The Tigers (2-0) remain at Neville Arena for their third straight home game, hosting Wofford Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ and the Auburn Sports Network.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer