Auburn Defeats Alabama State in NCAA First Round \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ No. 1 seed Auburn defeated 16th-seeded Alabama State 83-63 in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Miles Kelly led the Tigers with seven 3-pointers and 23 points, while Johni Broome added a double-double. Auburn moves on to face No. 9 seed Creighton in the second round.
Auburn Beats Alabama State in NCAA Tournament Quick Looks
- Auburn topped Alabama State 83-63 in the South Region first round.
- Miles Kelly drained seven three-pointers, scoring a game-high 23 points.
- All-American Johni Broome posted 14 points and 11 rebounds.
- Auburn coach Bruce Pearl criticized the team’s lack of energy.
- Alabama State kept it close in the first half, pulling within one.
- Auburn closed the first half with a 9-0 run for a 41-31 lead.
- The Tigers out-rebounded Alabama State 46-36 but struggled at the free-throw line (56.3%).
- Alabama State’s Amarr Knox led his team with 18 points.
- Auburn advances to play Creighton for a Sweet 16 berth.
- Auburn is aiming to make it past the second round for the first time since 2019.
Deep Look
Auburn’s journey in the 2024 NCAA Tournament began with an 83-63 victory over 16th-seeded Alabama State on Thursday, but the win left head coach Bruce Pearl far from satisfied. Despite the scoreboard, the top-seeded Tigers appeared sluggish at times and lacked the sharp, high-energy execution Pearl has come to demand from his team.
The Tigers (29-5) came into the tournament with expectations sky-high, earning the No. 1 seed in the South Region after a season that included an SEC Tournament championship. But they also arrived with recent struggles, having lost three of their last four games in a hyper-competitive Southeastern Conference. Pearl made it clear in postgame comments that if the team wants to go beyond the first weekend — something they’ve failed to do since their 2019 Final Four run — they’ll need to step up their intensity.
“We just weren’t sharp,” Pearl admitted. “One thing you can always control is effort and energy. Our system depends on it. And we didn’t bring that today. We won’t beat Creighton if we play like we did tonight.”
The Tigers’ saving grace was the hot shooting of Miles Kelly, who carried Auburn through its rough patches with seven three-pointers and a game-high 23 points. Kelly’s perimeter shooting kept Alabama State’s upset hopes at bay, especially in moments when the Hornets threatened to steal momentum.
All-American Johni Broome added a steady presence with 14 points and 11 rebounds, continuing his dominant form in the post. However, foul trouble limited his impact in the second half, forcing Auburn to lean more on its depth. Tahaad Pettiford stepped up with 16 points, and Chaney Johnson added 13.
The first half, however, was far from comfortable for Auburn. After building a 28-15 lead, the Tigers found themselves on the receiving end of a 9-0 run by Alabama State, spearheaded by guard Amarr Knox. The Hornets pulled within one point at 32-31 with just over a minute left in the half, igniting the Rupp Arena crowd and fueling hopes of a historic upset.
Knox, who previously hit a buzzer-beater to lift Alabama State over Saint Francis in the First Four, had a chance to give his team the lead but missed two crucial free throws. Auburn responded with a game-changing 9-0 run of its own to close the half, highlighted by Broome’s inside presence and Kelly’s shooting, giving them a 41-31 lead at the break.
“(We) had some moments in this game where we made Coach Pearl call timeout,” Alabama State head coach Tony Madlock said. “I’m proud of what our team accomplished — not just for our school, but for all HBCUs. Getting to the tournament and winning our first game was huge for Montgomery and for Alabama State.”
Knox led the Hornets with 18 points, while TJ Madlock contributed 11 points. Alabama State (20-16) forced 12 Auburn turnovers and tallied 10 steals, giving the Tigers plenty of headaches in the first half. Despite the loss, they leave the tournament with pride, having earned their first official NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
The second half belonged to Auburn’s size and athleticism. The Tigers dominated the boards, finishing with a 46-36 rebounding edge and outscoring Alabama State 38-22 in the paint. Auburn’s ability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities and control the paint ultimately wore down the Hornets.
Yet, a glaring concern remains for the Tigers: free-throw shooting. Auburn shot just 56.3% (18-of-32) from the charity stripe — a potential Achilles’ heel in closer games against stronger competition. Pearl acknowledged this postgame, pointing out that against teams like Creighton, missed free throws could be the difference between advancing and going home.
Auburn now turns its attention to ninth-seeded Creighton, who dispatched Louisville 89-75 in their first-round matchup. The upcoming game will be a true test of whether Auburn can shake off the lackluster energy and regain the level of play that earned them the top seed.
This win marked Auburn’s seventh victory over Alabama State in program history, though Thursday’s game was their first NCAA Tournament meeting. The two schools are separated by only about 50 miles, adding local intrigue to the contest. Despite the Tigers’ win, it was Alabama State’s gritty performance that briefly captured the hearts of neutral fans in the arena, especially as they closed the gap in the first half and forced Auburn to respond.
The Tigers are aiming to break a recent trend of underperforming in March. After their historic Final Four run in 2019, they’ve struggled to advance beyond the second round, falling short in three consecutive tournaments from 2021 through 2023. Pearl’s postgame message was clear: if this team wants to return to the Sweet 16 and beyond, they’ll need sharper execution, better focus, and more consistent effort.
“Our margin for error shrinks now,” Pearl said. “Creighton’s going to test us in every way. If we don’t bring energy, if we don’t make free throws, if we don’t defend for 40 minutes — we’ll be going home.”
The Tigers have the talent, depth, and size to make a deep tournament run, but Thursday’s uneven performance served as a wake-up call. Against a more seasoned and explosive Creighton team, anything less than Auburn’s best won’t be enough.
For Alabama State, the tournament run may have ended, but their program took a major step forward. Under Madlock’s leadership and with players like Knox gaining national attention, the future looks bright for the Hornets and their growing presence on the national stage.
All eyes now turn to Saturday, where Auburn’s opportunity to advance to the Sweet 16 — and prove they can play like a true No. 1 seed — will be put to the test.
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