AUBURN, Ala. – Tahaad Pettiford scored the last 11 points of the first half, including a buzzer-beating bank shot from beyond half court, to lead Auburn to a 92-59 victory over Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday in Tipoff on The Plains at Neville Arena.
“It was great to be back in The Jungle,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “The guys competed. Tahaad was able to get into a rhythm toward the end of the first half. Our bench did a good job of giving us really quality minutes. That’s a bright spot of the game tonight, a lot of positive contributions. I’m pleased with the outcome, still have a lot to clean up.”
After missing his first eight shots, Pettiford took over in the final 1:13 of the first half with a layup, two flashy 3-point-plays and his 50-footer as the half concluded, turning what had been a six-point lead into 17.
One of five Tigers in double figures, Pettiford led Auburn with 18 points and four assists with zero turnovers in 22 minutes, helping extend the nation’s longest active nonconference home winning streak to 68.
Guards Kolby King and George Kimble III both scored in double figures off the bench. King made 3 of 4 shots, scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Kimble added 10 points.
“That’s me, that’s how I play,” King said. “I feel like I’m versatile, grab rebounds, play defense, score the ball. If I’m more available in all of those ways, there’s more opportunities for me to be out there on that floor to help the team win.”
Kevin Overton continued the elite 3-point shooting he brought to Auburn last season, making 4 of 5 long-range attempts to account for all 12 of his points. Auburn made 12 of 26 3-point shots.
Making his Auburn debut after recovering from a foot injury, 6-10 senior Owen Freeman scored on a putback shorty after checking in.
“I was really emotional before the game. I was really grateful,” said Freeman, who contributed seven points and six rebounds in 11 minutes. “The journey has been a lot of ups and downs. I was super excited with how things went. I’m happy with the outcome and I’m excited to go after some more wins.”
“It was great to have Owen back out there. He brings a different dimension physically,” Pearl said. “It was great to see him make a layup and be active on the offensive glass. He brings a different level of physicality for us which we need. He’s such a great kid and I enjoy being around him every day. He wants to win, wants to get better and do the right thing for his teammates. Those are the types of guys you can roll with.”
The Tigers’ duo of 7-footers Narcisse Ngoy and Bukky Oboye – showcased their complementary skillsets. Ngoy scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Oboye dominated on defense, blocking five shots while adding four points and three rebounds.
“They’ve got to stack up performances against a big Appalachian State team,” Pearl said. “They’ve got real size and we’ve got to physically compete at a high level, which is what the expectation is going to be for those guys every game.”
Leading 42-25 at the half, the Tigers dispelled any notion of an upset by scoring 12 consecutive points in the middle of the second half, including a 3-pointer from Freeman and a dunk from Ngoy on their way to a 29-point lead.
Auburn (1-0) continues its season-opening homestand Monday at 8 p.m. CT against Appalachian State on Military Appreciation Night, featuring free camo t-shirts for Auburn University students.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer