National Basketball Association
Auburn 89, Xavier 88
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 20, 2014
Where: Auburn Arena, Auburn, Alabama
Officials:
# James Breeding, # Jim Burr, # Tony Greene
Attendance:
7975
By SportsDirect Inc.
Auburn 89, Xavier 88 (2OT): Malcolm Canada capped a career-high 15-point effort with two free throws with 14 seconds left as the host Tigers rallied in the second half before topping the Musketeers in double-overtime.
KT Harrell led Auburn (5-5) with 24 points and Cinmeon Bowers had 17 before fouling out late in the first overtime. Antoine Mason chipped in 12 points for the Tigers, who survived an 18-of-29 showing at the foul line by making their final three.
Remy Abell led Xavier (8-3) with a career-high 18 points and Jalen Reynolds tied a season high with 16, including a go-ahead tip-in before Canada's free throws. Trevon Bluiett also scored 16 points while Matt Stainbrook finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds before he fouled out in the closing moments for the Musketeers.
The Tigers erased a 14-point deficit in the second half and claimed a 70-65 advantage in the final minute but Myles Davis' 3-pointer with 21 seconds left and Abell's two free throws with three ticks remaining forced overtime. Canada put Auburn up 83-81 with a basket in the final minute of the first extra session before Stainbrook nailed two free throws to tie it with 13 seconds to go and the Tigers got a poor look on the other end.
Harrell opened the second overtime with a basket but the game was tied at 86-86 after Brandon Randolph's jumper midway through the stanza. After Trayvon Reed split a pair at the line to give Auburn a one-point lead and Reynolds followed up a miss by Bluiett to make it 88-87 with 39 second to go, Canada got to the line for the decisive pair and Abell's 3-pointer at the buzzer was off.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Xavier closed the first half on a 21-8 run capped by Bluiett's 3-pointer that made it 38-25 going into the break and Bluiett had another make from beyond the arc to make it 52-38 at the 14:31 mark of the second half. ... The Musketeers finished 24-of-27 at the line. ... Reed had five blocked shots and G K.C. Ross-Miller collected four steals for Auburn, both in a reserve role.
Top Game Performances
| Xavier |
|
Auburn |
|
Remy Abell 18 |
Scoring |
KT Harrell 24 |
|
Trevon Bluiett 5 |
Assists |
Malcolm Canada 2 |
|
Matt Stainbrook 12 |
Rebounds |
KT Harrell 7 |
|
Trevon Bluiett 8 |
Free Throws Made |
Antoine Mason 7 |
|
Brandon Randolph 3 |
Steals |
K.C. Ross-Miller 4 |
|
Jalen Reynolds 1 |
Blocks |
Trayvon Reed 5 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Xavier
|
88 |
42.4 |
8-20 |
24-27 |
15 |
36 |
1 |
12 |
16 |
| Auburn
|
89 |
49.3 |
5-22 |
18-29 |
11 |
34 |
7 |
11 |
16 |
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