The 2024-25 Auburn Tigers hit the hardwood for the first time on Sunday and emerged victorious.
Five Tigers reached double-figures in points while Johni Broome recorded a double-double in Auburn’s 83-62 win over the Furman Paladins on Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Bruce Pearl’s squad overcame an early five-point deficit to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room at halftime despite shooting 29% from the field. Auburn surged in the second half, outscoring the Paladins, 47-33 in the final stretch to secure the 21-point victory.
Following the game, Pearl shared his disappointment with the team’s overall shooting performance. However, he walked away pleased with a win.
“We missed a lot of shots. The front line in the first half only made two baskets. We only made 10 field goals in the first half. When we look back at the tape, we will like where we got the ball. We just didn’t finish or execute. I thought our energy was okay and I hope that we can build it up a bit. It’s a 20-point road win. This is a team like App State (who can make it very difficult on the road). From that standpoint, I’m pleased with the outcome.”
Johni Broome was Auburn’s top performer by scoring 18 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. He was also perfect at the free-throw line, connecting on all six opportunities. Chad Baker-Mazara was next with 13 points and seven rebounds while freshman Tahaad Pettiford dropped 13 points in his debut. Chaney Johnson and Jakhi Howard scored 10 points in the win.
Former Paladin JP Pegues scored just two points against his former team but played a factor in the rebound game by hauling in six, the fourth-highest on the team behind Broome (14), SMU transfer Ja’heim Hudson, and Baker-Mazara (7).
Auburn will play one more charity exhibition game before the regular season starts on Friday at 7 p.m. against Florida Atlantic at Neville Arena. The Owls followed up its 2022-23 Final Four run by posting a 25-9 record last season and making a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
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