BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Auburn University men’s basketball team suffered an 82-71 loss to Florida State in exhibition action on Wednesday night at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham.
With Auburn trailing 65-62 with under five minutes to play, the Seminoles used a 9-0 run and made their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Florida State lived at the line, making 34-of-40 from the charity stripe compared to 10-of-14 for the Tigers. Florida State also held a 51-40 advantage on the glass, led by 21 rebounds from Marcis Ponder, who also added 13 points.
Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn in scoring with 20 points, while Adam Olsen added 11 and Kevin Overton 10. The Tigers shot 42 3-pointers and made 13.
Florida State raced out to a 7-2 lead, but early struggles from the floor for both teams saw FSU lead 11-10 at the second media timeout of the contest.
The Seminoles then went on an 11-3 spurt which gave them their largest lead of the half at 22-13, but a Pettiford 3-pointer cut it to 22-16 with 7:51 remaining.
That 3-pointer started an 8-0 Auburn run to get the Tigers within one, and AU would tie the game on two separate occasions at 24 and 26 but took its first lead of the game on a triple from George Kimble III for a 29-28 lead. Olsen then hit a transition 3-pointer to force an FSU timeout with Auburn leading 32-28 with 2:50 remaining.
Despite opening the game 5-for-21, the Tigers made nine of their final 14 shots and led 37-32 at the half. The Tigers made 8-of-23 from 3-point range in the first half.
The two teams traded blows early in the second, but Florida State then went on a 10-0 run to take a 53-48 lead at the under-12 timeout.
Auburn made the next two baskets to tie the game, and the two teams would go into the under-8 media timeout with FSU leading 59-58.
The Seminoles scored eight straight points from the free throw line and led 65-59, but a 3-point play from Narcisse Ngoy got the Tigers with three at 65-62. However, used a 7-0 run to gain a 72-62 lead which forced an Auburn timeout with 3:40 remaining. FSU made the next basket to go up 12 and held on for the victory.
The Tigers play their second exhibition game of the preseason next Thursday, Oct. 22, against Alabama at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Tip is set for 7 p.m.