The No. 16 Auburn Tigers were set to meet an offensive-minded team in Bradley to open their stay in the Cancun Challenge. However, Auburn turned the tables.
Auburn shot 56.4% from the field and had five players reach double-figures in its’ 85-64 win over Bradley to advance to the Riviera Championship on Wednesday night.
Wendell Green Jr. and Johni Broome led the team in scoring with 14, while K.D. Johnson and Allen Flanigan combined to add 25 points off the bench. Jaylin Williams recorded 11 points for the Tigers.
A team known for playing heavy defense early on, Auburn had eight of its’ ten scorers shoot 50% or better, and were able to post 41 points off the bench. The defense was still a strong point in the game, as the Tigers were able to record five blocks, pull down 24 defensive rebounds, and score 14 points off of 13 Brave turnovers.
The Tigers built a comfortable 45-32 halftime lead over Bradley by outshooting the Braves, 59% to 46%. One of the biggest separating aspects of the first half was Auburn’s depth. The Tigers recorded 34 of its’ 45 points from nonstarters.
Auburn will face the Liberty/Northwestern winner Wednesday night for the Riviera Division championship. Tipoff from the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is set for 7:30 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network and can be heard on your local Auburn Sports Network affiliate.
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