In a thrilling display of athleticism and strategy, the Auburn Tigers dominated the Monmouth Hawks in their final non-conference game of the season. Both teams showcased impressive offensive skills, but it was Auburn’s defense that secured an 87-56 victory for the Tigers.
Auburn started strong, winning the jump ball and quickly securing the lead with a layup from Dylan Cardwell. The first half was a competitive battle with six lead changes, but Auburn eventually broke away and never looked back.
Denver Jones, Johni Broome, and Chad Baker-Mazara led Auburn, combining for 26 of the 46 first-half points. The Tigers excelled in shooting during the first 20 minutes, with Jones hitting all three of his three-point attempts. Baker-Mazara, Chaney Johnson, and Miles Kelly were perfect from the free-throw line, giving Auburn an extra scoring push.
Despite Monmouth's better shooting percentages, Auburn outplayed them and ended the half with an 18-point lead. Chaney Johnson was particularly impressive, scoring 10 of 18 points in the final six minutes of the first half, driving Auburn’s 18-point run.
The final half was packed with entertainment from the Tigers. From precision passing and laser shooting to pure dominance and flashy dunks, Auburn saved the best for last.
The largest run of the final 20 minutes for the Tigers was a 12-0 run that occurred in the early stages of the second half. The orange and blue would have another run similar to that, 10-0, in the same half as well. Auburn once again outperformed Monmouth in all positive aspects and even brought more energy as well.
Jahki Howard and Dylan Cardwell wowed the crowd with acrobatic alley-oop dunks. Jahki jammed a windmill and a reverse dunk, both off perfect passes from Tahaad Pettiford. Dylan’s dunks came from assists by Denver Jones and Johni Broome, energizing the team and the fans at Neville Arena.
Auburn destroyed Monmouth in terms of points in the paint (40-20), Bench points (31-10), points off turnovers (20-5) and second-chance points (15-4) as well.
Auburn's performance in this game was a testament to their depth and versatility. The Tigers' ability to dominate in various aspects of the game, from points in the paint to bench contributions, highlights their well-rounded team dynamics. The bench players, contributing 31 points, showcased the team's depth and the coaching staff's ability to develop talent beyond the starting lineup.
The number two ranked Tigers wrapped up non-conference play with an 87-58 victory against the Monmouth Hawks and finished it with a 12-1 record this season. Monday’s win was also Johni Broome’s 69th career double-double.
After Monday’s game, Auburn has won five straight games since their only loss to Duke earlier in December. Auburn's strong non-conference performance sets a positive tone for the rest of the season. The team's ability to maintain focus and execute their game plan against a variety of opponents will be crucial as they face tougher competition in conference play.
The Tigers ended the first half of the season with a 6-0 record at home. They look to improve to 7-0 as they host the Missouri Tigers in Neville Arena on January 4th at 3 p.m.
