The No. 19 Auburn Tigers went into Friday’s game with Colgate knowing that a strong defensive outing could give its’ offense enough of a boost to shut down a precise Raider scoring attack.
The Tigers did their job defensively, but the offense is what drew attention in Friday’s 93-66 win over Colgate at Neville Arena.
Auburn shot 55% from the field and connected on a season-high 10 three-pointers in their massive win. One of Auburn’s key players was senior Allen Flanigan, who earned the start in place of Jaylin Williams, who missed Friday’s game due to an illness.
Flanigan shot 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc en route to a 12-point outing. Flanigan credits Auburn’s offensive success to his team’s ability to step up and play new roles as a result of Williams’ not being able to play.
“It was really just everybody coming in and guys playing different roles,” Flanigan said following Friday’s game. “Chris (Moore) played the four (position) and did a great job at the four. It was just us coming together with a man (Jaylin Williams) down. We stepped up and put the pieces together in The Jungle tonight.”
Flanigan and the rest of Auburn’s starting five held their own against Colgate, but Auburn’s reserves contributed heavily to the victory as well. Auburn’s bench outscored the Raiders’ bench 44-9. K.D. Johnson led the team in scoring with 16 points off the bench, while Dylan Cardwell picked up nine points and three blocks. Freshmen Yohan Traore and Chance Westry scored eight outside of the lineup.
Auburn erased its’ recent offensive woes while remaining consistent on defense. Colgate entered the game connecting on 40% of its three-point shots, which ranked No. 16 in the country. The Tigers’ remained steady on defense by forcing 12 turnovers, pulling down 26 defensive rebounds, and blocking eight shots. The Raiders were limited to 44% both from the field and from three-point territory.
The Tigers will now focus on end-of-semester finals before playing its’ next game. Auburn will face Memphis next Saturday as part of the annual “Holiday Hoopsgiving” event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
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