DURHAM, N.C. (EETV) – Auburn Men’s Basketball traveled up north to Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on Duke in the primetime matchup of this year’s SEC/ACC challenge. The game was a physical battle, but Auburn got the worse end of it, falling 84-78 for its first loss of the season.
The Tigers got off to a fast start, quickly opening a 13-2 lead in the game’s first three and a half minutes behind eight early points from Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly. The Blue Devils got back off the mat though, clawing back to take a 26-24 lead with six and a half minutes to play in the first half.
The Duke comeback was engineered by freshman guard Isaiah Evans. Evans recorded 18 first half points, all from beyond the three-point line. The Auburn defense struggled to stay home on defensive switches, leaving Blue Devil shooters with open chances in the final ten minutes of the first half, including Evans.
The Blue Devil barrage left Auburn in a 36-43 hole at the half, with Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell, and Chaney Johnson all in early foul trouble at two each. Duke also out-rebounded Auburn 24-15 in the first half and held Broome, the national leader in rebounds, to just three in the half.
Duke started strong in the second half, quickly stretching its lead to 12 points behind freshman phenom Cooper Flag and Tulane transfer Sion James. However, Auburn buckled down and tried to fight its way back.
Johni Broome and freshman Tahaad Pettiford both were relentless in the half, Broome down low and Pettiford from all over the floor. The freshman knocked down tough shot after tough shot, accounting for 14 of Auburn’s 42 second half points. The only player with more in the half was Broome with 15.
With five minutes left to play, a three-pointer from Miles Kelly made it 64-66 Blue Devils, the closest Auburn had been to a lead in the second half. Duke and Tahaad Pettiford traded buckets on successive possessions until the score was 68-70, Auburn still in position to make a move for the game.
However, Duke then began to pull back away. Cooper Flag and junior Tyrese Proctor carried the Blue Devils down the stretch, accounting for ten of the final 14 Duke points. Auburn was unable to keep pace, and found itself trailing at the final buzzer for the first time in the 2024 season, a feeling Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl was asked about after the game.
“We're disappointed, obviously,” Coach Pearl said. “We played OK. But, to play Duke in here, you have to play great. Give them all the credit.”
Broome and Pettiford co-led Auburn in scoring with 20 points each. Broome also recorded 12 rebounds, three assists, and a block before fouling out with 16 seconds remaining in the game. Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly also had good scoring nights, recording 17 and 14 points respectively. The issues for the Tigers seemed to be on the other end of the court all night, something that Coach Pearl mentioned after the game.
“Our defense let us down,” Coach Pearl said. “You score 78 points against Duke and only turn the ball over eight times in here, you should win.”
Though the Tigers are no longer undefeated, Auburn still boasts one of the best resumes in the country thanks to its success in Maui last week and will still likely retain a top 10 ranking. The next contest for Coach Pearl’s Tigers is back in Neville Arena on Sunday as Auburn hosts 4-4 Richmond in an expected bounceback game.
