NCAAB Game Recap - Missouri at Auburn
Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:32 PM EDT

Prov
62
Vill
73
F
Akr
46
Buff
82
F
NCSU
56
UVA
76
F
Sac
73
Mont
79
F
TCU
61
KSU
70
F
Bois
69
Nev
77
F
USC
75
Wash
78
F
ChiSt
49
NMSt
86
F
LaTec
56
ODU
57
F
UCRiv
44
UCIrv
63
F
CSNor
68
UCSB
71
F
NIU
80
Toled
76
F
Lou
70
UNC
83
F
StJon
54
Marq
86
F
WVU
79
TxTch
74
F
S UT
83
N CO
64
F
NM
83
UtSt
91
F
UCLA
72
AzSt
83
F
UMKC
64
UtVal
71
F
N TX
51
W Ky
67
F
UCDav
71
CS-Ful
75
F(OT)
DelSt
57
NCC
75
F
CenAR
65
SeLA
79
F
Ball
86
BGSU
99
F
Syr
72
Duke
84
F
GTown
57
Seton
73
F
Tex
57
Kansas
65
F
MTSt
84
E WA
90
F
Marsh
73
USM
82
F
Seatt
75
GrCan
84
F
Oreg
66
Utah
54
F
AF
50
Fres
76
F
IaSt
83
Baylor
66
F
CenMI
89
Kent
81
F
Crei
61
Xav
63
F
VaTec
63
FSU
65
F(OT)
PorSt
71
Web
81
F
Colora
73
OrSt
58
F
CSBak
70
UTRGV
85
F
SDSU
63
UNLV
55
F
Lamar
72
NOrl
76
F
BethC
71
How
80
F
UAB
85
UTSA
76
F
LongB
68
HI
66
F
GrgWas
57
GMas
61
F
Nebras
69
MD
61
F
Mizzu
71
Aub
81
F
Tul
68
Mem
83
F
USA
70
UL
69
F
Rich
68
StLou
71
F
ULM
80
CoCar
50
F
TAMU
54
MissSt
80
F
Ill
62
Iowa
83
F
ECU
57
WichSt
73
F
StJos
92
Duques
86
F
PSU
72
Minn
77
F(OT)
Bama
62
Miss
57
F
SMU
74
Tuls
65
F
LaSal
57
URI
76
F
Ind
75
OhSt
79
F
UConn
80
SoFL
73
F
Ark
50
Fla
66
F

Mar 14, 2019, 3:32 PM EDT

Final

1

2

T

(12) Missouri

30

41

71

(5) Auburn

32

49

81

No. 22 Auburn shakes off Missouri 81-71 at SEC Tournament
Thu Mar 14, 2019 8:57 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Auburn guard Bryce Brown had to wait until his senior season to experience a victory at the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Now he and his teammates want more.

Brown scored all 17 of his points in the second half, and No. 22 Auburn beat Missouri 81-71 Thursday in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Auburn (23-9) won its fifth straight to advance to the quarterfinals Friday against fourth-seeded South Carolina, and the Tigers also snapped a three-game skid at the SEC tournament dating back to 2015 when they reached the semifinals. That was before Brown arrived on campus.

"It definitely felt good to get our first SEC win," Brown said. "It took me four years, my fourth match, my fourth year. ... Me and Horace (Spencer) are going to do everything we can to make sure this team doesn't go out on a sad note. We just want to end our senior season on a strong note."

No. 12 seed Missouri (15-17) at least kept this game closer than the last game between these teams, a 34-point loss in Auburn on Jan. 30, and they even led by as much as four in the first half.

"I thought we were there, just didn't have enough to get over the hump," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said.

Auburn had to shake off a cold-shooting start by guards Jared Harper and Brown as they combined to miss their first 11 shots. Brown finally knocked down his seventh attempt with 16:02 left, and the senior strung together three straight 3s. The last came from the corner in front of his own bench, giving Auburn its biggest lead of the game at 49-39 with 14:44 to go.

Harper hit his first shot, a 3, with 3:12 left for a 71-63 lead. Harper finished with five points and five assists.

"This might be the first big game we've won where Jared Harper didn't have to carry us," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "Missouri did a good job defensively on both Bryce and Jared and a lot of pressure on Jared to run the club, and biggest communicator defensively. He's a leader and just a little off tonight."

Chuma Okeke added 12 points for Auburn. Spencer had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Malik Dunbar had 11 each.

Jordan Geist had a game-high 25 points for Missouri, and Torrence Watson matched his career high with 20.

Missouri kept Auburn from running away this time by shooting away outside the arc and making a season-high 15 3-pointers. Geist finished 6 of 9 from 3 himself and said the Tigers' confidence has really grown the past couple games.

"We were taking what they were giving us and shooting the ball with confidence," Geist said.

Auburn led 32-30 at halftime after Missouri made eight of its nine baskets outside the arc, and Xavier Pinson added a ninth to open the second and put Missouri back ahead. Missouri hit seven straight shots, the last a pair of 3s by Geist and then Watson's, which tied it at 52 with 11:20 to go.

Spencer scored on a three-point play, Danjel Purifoy hit a 3 and Brown added his fourth 3 with 8:16 remaining to cap a quick 9-0 spurt. Missouri couldn't get closer than four down the stretch but didn't let Auburn lead by more than 10.

BIG PICTURE

Missouri: These Tigers head home waiting for next year and the chance to win more than just once at the SEC tournament. Missouri has never won back-to-back games since joining this league for the 2012-13 season, but at least coach Martin leaves Nashville with the program's fourth SEC tournament win. But a couple key freshmen struggled with Javon Pickett held scoreless and Pinson struggling with eight turnovers.

Auburn: The Tigers will need more from Harper and Brown moving forward. Brown did hit all four of his 3-point attempts in the second half. But their defense came through, converting 14 turnovers into a 24-17 scoring edge. They also dominated inside, outscoring Missouri 30-16 in the paint.

QUOTABLE

"Frank Martin's got my number," Pearl said of facing South Carolina next. "Not just my phone number, but my number."

UP NEXT

Missouri: The offseason. Martin said he would not accept an invite to the CBI tournament.

Auburn: South Carolina on Friday in the SEC quarterfinals.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Missouri PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
J. Geist 25 0 1 3 2 0
T. Watson 20 0 0 3 0 0
Auburn PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
B. Brown 17 0 4 3 0 0
C. Okeke 12 0 2 5 0 1

Team Comparison

Mizzu Aub
Points For 71 81
Field Goals 23/52-44% 27/59-46%
Three Pointers 15/30-50% 12/34-35%
Free Throws 10/14-71% 15/19-79%
Offensive Rebounds 12 13
Defensive Rebounds 20 20
Rebounds 40 35
Blocks 1 5
Steals 4 8
Turnovers 14 11
Personal Fouls 16 16
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2018-19 Reg Season - Aub Leads Series 2-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Wed Jan 30 Mizzu 58 @ Aub 92 J. Tilmon 15 J. Harper 16
Thu Mar 14 Mizzu 71 @ Aub 81 J. Geist 25 B. Brown 17

Game Information

Stadium: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Attendance: 12,720
Game Time: