Auburn Dominates North Carolina in Maui Invitational Semifinals
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — In a commanding performance, No. 4 Auburn triumphed over No. 12 North Carolina with an 85-72 victory in the Maui Invitational semifinal on Tuesday night. Leading the charge was Johni Broome, who delivered a stellar showcase with 23 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, marking his fourth consecutive double-double and the 64th of his career.
Auburn (6-0) asserted control from the outset, never trailing and building a lead as large as 19 points. Alongside Broome’s impressive display, Miles Kelly contributed 15 points and Chad Baker-Mazara added 14. Chaney Johnson also made his mark with 11 points and eight rebounds, while Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford chipped in 10 points each.
North Carolina (4-2) saw Seth Trimble lead their scoring efforts with 17 points, but the team struggled to find rhythm. ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis was limited to just 12 points, a season low, on 5-of-11 shooting. Although the Tar Heels rallied at one point to close the gap to 33-30 after Jalen Washington’s dunk, Auburn ended the first half on a 7-2 run to lead 40-32.
The Tigers further asserted their dominance with a strong start to the second half, going on a 12-2 run capped by Baker-Mazara’s three-pointer to stretch the lead to 52-34. Notably, Auburn outscored North Carolina 15-6 in points off turnovers and held the Tar Heels to their season’s lowest score.
With this victory, Auburn advances to the championship game against Memphis, aiming to become the third SEC team to win the prestigious Maui Invitational, while North Carolina will face Michigan State for third place.
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Photo credit aldailynews.com
