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Auburn Overcomes Largest Halftime Deficit to Beat No. 5 Iowa State 83-81 at Maui Invitational

Nov 26, 2024, 04:18 AM

Auburn men's basketball team staged a remarkable comeback to defeat No. 5 Iowa State 83-81 in the Maui Invitational quarterfinals. Trailing by 18 points in the first half and by 16 at halftime, the No. 3/4 Auburn Tigers rallied with a strong defensive performance, holding the Cyclones to 31.8% shooting and forcing seven turnovers in the second half. Auburn took its first lead with four minutes remaining after key contributions from Denver Jones, who scored crucial points down the stretch. Johni Broome secured the victory with a last-second tip-in. This victory marks Auburn's second win over a top-five team this season—having previously defeated Houston—and makes them the first team since 2001 to achieve two AP top-5 wins in their first five games. The comeback represents the largest halftime deficit overcome to beat an AP Top 5 opponent in the last 25 years. Auburn improved to 5-0 on the season under head coach Bruce Pearl.