Houston Cougars rallied from being 10 points down at halftime to beat the Auburn Tigers 81-64 in the NCAA Tournament. Houston outscored Auburn 50-23 in the second half, with Tramon Mark and Marcus Sasser leading the comeback. Houston committed 25 personal fouls, allowing Auburn 36 opportunities to score from the free throw line, but Auburn’s poor free throw percentage of 52.8% meant they converted only 19 of their 36 chances. Auburn dominated the first half, shooting 55% from the field and outscoring Houston 22-10 from close range. However, Houston capitalized on Auburn’s struggles in the second half to build an unassailable lead. Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams led the Tigers with 14 points each, while Allen Flanigan led the team in rebounds with nine and also scored 10 points.
Houston Cougars Eliminate Auburn Tigers with Dominating Second Half Effort
The Houston Cougars overpowered the Auburn Tigers with a remarkable second-half performance, outscoring them 50-23 after being down by ten points at halftime. Despite the No. 9 seed Auburn Tigers taking a ten-point lead into the locker room at halftime, the Houston Cougars managed to seal an 81-64 win and eliminate the Tigers from the NCAA Tournament.
Houston committed 25 personal fouls, providing Auburn with 36 opportunities to score from the free throw line. However, Auburn’s dismal free throw percentage of 52.8% meant they were only able to convert 19 of their 36 chances. Auburn dominated the first half, shooting 55% from the field and outscoring Houston 22-10 from close range, but Houston turned the tables in the second half.
At the start of the game, both teams shot 45% from the field, with Houston leading by five points thanks to two three-pointers and three free throws. Auburn managed to cut Houston’s lead to one point with a three-pointer by K.D. Johnson and a dunk by Dylan Cardwell. Tre Donaldson’s back-to-back three-pointers gave Auburn the lead at 22-21 with just under ten minutes left in the half.
Houston led by as much as three points before Jaylin Williams and Wendell Green Jr. connected on three-pointers, putting Auburn in the lead 30-27 with four minutes left in the half. Johni Broome’s free throws extended Auburn’s lead to 32-27. To close the half, Auburn went on a 9-4 run and took a ten-point lead into the locker room.
Despite the early dominance, Auburn’s second-half performance was lackluster. Houston took full advantage, overpowering Auburn with a dominant performance to seal a place in the next round.
Houston Makes a Comeback in Second Half to Beat Auburn in NCAA Tournament
The Houston Cougars rallied in the second half, outscoring the Auburn Tigers 25-10 in the first eight minutes of the half to steal the momentum and come from behind to secure an 81-64 win in the NCAA Tournament. Houston’s Tramon Mark and Marcus Sasser led the comeback, with Mark beginning the half with a layup and Sasser’s three-pointer giving Houston their first lead since the first half.
Houston went on to dominate the second half, building a ten-point lead with under five minutes remaining. Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams were Auburn’s top scorers with 14 points each, while Allen Flanigan led the team in rebounds with nine and also scored 10 points.
Auburn started strong, shooting 55% from the field in the first half and taking a ten-point lead into halftime. However, Houston’s dominant second-half performance turned the game around, with Auburn going scoreless from the field for over ten minutes. Houston capitalized on Auburn’s struggles and built an unassailable lead, ultimately securing their place in the next round of the tournament.
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