Auburn still undefeated after tight game against Saint Louis

It was a tough battle, but the Tigers remain unconquered through seven games.

The Auburn Tigers basketball team is still unconquered, but it took some effort to make it so.

The Tigers defeated the Saint Louis Billikens 60-65 on Sunday to propel Auburn to a 7-0 record. The win was Auburn’s 43rd-straight victory at home against a non-conference opponent, a streak the team will hope to keep before it plays its first conference game against the Florida Gators at the end of December.

The game started off strong for Auburn, with the Tigers building a 13-4 lead with just over 14:39 left in the first half, but the Billikens made it tough as the half progressed. Saint Louis took its layups and played tough defense against Auburn’s contested threes, and they even took the lead over the Tigers at a few different points as the first half dwindled. Thanks in part to the efforts of [autotag]Wendell Green Jr.[/autotag], the Tigers were able to end the half up by three points, 36-33.

Saint Louis played a tough second half, but it wouldn’t be enough to stop the Tigers. The defensive effort was particularly stout toward the end of the game, as Saint Louis only scored four points in the last five minutes of the game while the Tigers extended the lead on free throws and consistent baskets. An 11-4 run in that time span by Auburn sealed the game and allowed the Tigers to remain undefeated.

Green Jr. was the game’s highest-scoring player, putting up 17 points on the day. Auburn’s three-point percentage still leaves much to be desired, however, as the Tigers only managed to shoot 18.8 percent from beyond the arc – almost 10 percent less than what Saint Louis was able to accomplish over the game.

The Tigers will be in action next on Dec. 2 when they take on the Colgate Raiders at home in Neville Arena in an attempt to increase their out-of-conference home streak.

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