Field Level Media
Dec 11, 2021
It was smooth sailing for No. 18 Auburn on Saturday in a 99-68 victory over Nebraska in the opening game of the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at Atlanta.
Jabari Smith scored 21 points and Wendell Green Jr. added 19 as Auburn (8-1) used a 13-0 spurt in the opening nine minutes to build a 23-9 lead and never looked back en route to the victory.
Devan Cambridge scored 14 points for the Tigers, who had five players in double figures.
Auburn played without coach Bruce Pearl, who began serving a two-game suspension imposed by the NCAA on Friday for failing to adequately monitor former assistant Chuck Person. Assistant coach Wes Flanigan filled in for Pearl.
C.J. Wilcher scored 17 points for Nebraska, making each of his last four field goals. Bryce McGowens had 14 points for the Cornhuskers (5-6), while Derrick Walker had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Jaylin Williams scored 10 points for Auburn and was a catalyst early for the Tigers, scoring six points in the first-half 13-0 run in proving to be productive off the bench.
Auburn was 14 of 31 (45.2 percent) from 3-point range while Nebraska was just 7 of 22 (31.8 percent) from deep. Six different Tigers made at least one 3-pointer, with Green going 4 of 6 from distance.
Nebraska briefly cut the deficit to 14 points at 55-41 early in the second half thanks to a 9-2 run, but an Auburn timeout led to the Tigers scoring 27 of the next 36 points to put the game out of reach. That run was highlighted by a 3:45 stretch where the Tigers were 6 of 8 from the field
Nebraska committed 20 turnovers that led to 30 Auburn points, including 11 turnovers in the second half. Auburn also had a 27-4 advantage in fast-break points.
K.D. Johnson scored 12 points for Auburn, while Green had six rebounds and six assists.
Alonzo Verge Jr. scored 10 points for Nebraska but had seven of the Cornhuskers' 20 turnovers.
--Field Level Media