Auburn Stuns Iowa State in Maui Invitational Quarterfinals
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — In a thrilling comeback, No. 4 Auburn defeated No. 5 Iowa State 83-81 in the Maui Invitational quarterfinals, with Johni Broome landing a decisive putback just one second before the buzzer. Broome’s performance was pivotal, as he recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. His teammate Chad Baker-Mazara shone in the second half, contributing 16 of his 18 points after halftime.
Iowa State, which had initially built a commanding 18-point lead late in the first half, entered the break with a 49-33 advantage behind Keshon Gilbert’s impressive 23-point effort. Curtis Jones, Dishon Jackson, and Milan Momcilovic also chipped in with key contributions, scoring 14, 13, and 12 points, respectively.
Auburn’s resilience shone in the second half as they mounted an 18-2 run, culminating in a three-pointer by Miles Kelly that tied the game at 53 with 13:51 remaining. Although Iowa State shot an impressive 18-of-31 in the first half, they struggled in the latter period, hitting only 7-of-22 from the field.
The pivotal moment came when Auburn tied the game at 81 with a basket from Kelly with just 43 seconds on the clock. Iowa State’s turnover after calling a timeout gave Auburn the opportunity to seize control. After Denver Jones missed a layup, Broome’s hustle on the boards secured the victory for the Tigers with his follow-up tip-in.
Auburn will advance to face No. 12 North Carolina in the semifinals on Tuesday, while Iowa State will compete against Dayton in the consolation bracket. The narrow victory exemplifies Auburn’s grit and determination, setting the stage for an exciting tournament ahead.
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