The Auburn basketball team remains undefeated in conference play after a dominant 92-82 win over the Ole Miss Rebels on the road. Many wondered if this could be a trap game for the Tigers, and the No. 23 Rebels were gunning to take down the No. 1 program in the country.
But after getting off to a rocky start, the Tigers managed to pull ahead and keep the lead for the remainder of the game, even if Ole Miss drew close time and again. It was a full team effort from Auburn, and every starter scored in double digits. Both Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell recorded double-doubles, and Tahaad Pettiford contributed nine points off the bench.
it was a show of dominance for the Auburn basketball team, and the Tigers continue to show they can get the job done in difficult environments. Here's what the team had to say about the road victory.
Head coach Bruce Pearl on his team's performance, per The Montgomery Advertiser:
"Guys just made plays. They want to win for Auburn. They recognize this is a special team, and they want to make history. We played some beautiful basketball. I think the coolest thing about this was that (in front of) ESPN's national television audience, every time Ole Miss made a run, we answered. We led the game for like 34 or 35 minutes. And that's just hard to do on the road. But that is how the No. 1 team in the country acts."
Pearl on Denver Jones finding his rhythm, per Auburn Undercover:
"Denver Jones played so well after the first couple minutes when he was a little bit off, right? I got him an early sub, and he kind of looked at me like, 'What was that for?' I said, 'Just relax. Got a couple turnovers. You're forcing things a little bit. You'll be fine.' He went back out and made great defensive (plays) and made shot after shot."
Dylan Cardwell on his second double-double, per Auburn Rivals:
“Last game at LSU, I was disappointed in my performance. Then I attacked today. We knew we were taller than them coming in, and that was going to be our focal point, just getting second-chance rebounds.”
The Tigers return to action this Tuesday against Oklahoma at 8:00 p.m. in Neville Arena.