ATLANTA — With Auburn’s season on the brink, Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones all of the sudden turned unstoppable.
On to the Elite Eight for the highest general seed within the NCAA Event.
Pettitford and Jones scored 20 factors apiece to steer a second-half barrage that rallied the Tigers to a 78-65 victory over Michigan within the Candy 16 on Friday night time.
The Tigers (31-5) worn out a nine-point deficit, outscoring No. 5 seed Michigan 39-17 over the ultimate 12 1/2 minutes to advance to the Elite Eight for less than the third time in class historical past.
Additionally they turned the fourth Southeastern Convention crew to achieve a regional remaining, with the SEC becoming a member of the Atlantic Coast Convention (2016) and Huge East (2009) as the one leagues to do this.
“Just the kids’ will to win,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl stated. “Denver got heated up. Tahaad got heated up. We went to them, and they delivered.”
Auburn will face Michigan State within the South Area remaining on Sunday, with a visit to the Remaining 4 on the road. The Spartans held off Mississippi 73-70 within the first recreation of the night time in Atlanta.
Johni Broome scored 22 factors to associate with 16 rebounds, but it surely was Pettiford, a freshman, and Jones, a senior, who took management when Auburn wanted them most.
The Wolverines (27-10) constructed their greatest lead, 49-38, and appeared headed for his or her most unbelievable efficiency but in a outstanding comeback season underneath first-year coach Dusty Might.
However Pettiford sparked the comeback with a step-back jumper from past the 3-point stripe, Jones knocked down two straight from lengthy vary earlier than scoring on a drive to the ring, and Pettiford completed off Michigan with two gorgeous pictures: a trey after briefly shedding the ball however getting it again, adopted by a three-point play when he knocked one down earlier than touchdown flat on his again after being fouled.
“I saw one go in, and I just saw the basket get bigger and bigger,” Jones stated. “So I just kept shooting.”
Danny Wolf led No. Michigan with 20 factors, however nobody else on the Wolverines managed greater than 10.
Wish to tune into as a lot March Insanity as you possibly can? DIRECTV Stream and Hulu + Dwell TV each have you ever lined with each channel you’ll want, plus free trials.
Nonetheless, the Wolverines had loads of causes to be proud after bouncing again from an 8-24 debacle a yr in the past that set a faculty report for losses in a season and led to the firing of former Fab 5 star Juwan Howard.
“They left a legacy,” Might stated. ”They established an identification. They need to be very, very happy with their physique of labor.”
The primary half was performed at a frantic however sloppy tempo, with each groups tormented by turnovers and struggling to hit pictures.
One sequence epitomized the opening 20 minutes. Tre Donaldson threw the ball away with a lazy move, however Auburn gave it proper again when Chad Baker-Mazara’s pointless behind-the-back effort was picked off by Roddy Gayle Jr. The Wolverines took off the opposite manner, solely to have Donaldson flip it over once more with an errant lob that sailed manner out of bounds. In simply 9 seconds, the groups mixed for 3 turnovers.
Auburn led 30-29 at halftime regardless of hitting simply 12 of 37 pictures (32.4%) from the sphere, together with a 3-of-16 exhibiting from past the 3-point arc, to associate with 10 turnovers. The Tigers gave themselves loads of second and third possibilities, and even a fourth on one possession.
They completed with 48-33 edge on the boards, together with 19 rebounds on the offensive finish.
Broome and the remainder of Auburn’s frontcourt held up simply superb towards Michigan’s two 7-footers, Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.
“We took the game personal,” Broome stated. “That’s a great front line, but we wanted to challenge ourselves to make it tough on them.”
Takeaways
Auburn: The Tigers misplaced of their first journey to the Elite Eight in 1986. They reached their lone Remaining 4 in 2019, when a setback to eventual champion Virginia ended their season. … Pearl didn’t like one line particularly on the stat sheet — 15 turnovers. “If Michigan can turn us over 15 times, Michigan State could turn us over 25 times,” the coach stated. “That’s a concern.”
Michigan: Goldin was held to 10 factors on 2-of-9 taking pictures. He additionally led the Wolverines with 9 rebounds. … Nimari Burnett scored 10 factors as nicely. … Michigan shot simply 35.6 % from the sphere (21 of 59), together with 5 of 17 from outdoors the stripe. … The Wolverines had solely six assists, in comparison with 15 for Auburn.
