After a heartbreaking loss where nothing could go right for Auburn, the Tigers returned home and looked to get back on track. On Thursday night they did, and nothing could go wrong.
The Auburn mens' basketball team tied an SEC record with 21 made three-pointers on their way to their seventh victory of the season, a 117- 72 rout over Coastal Carolina. Auburn's 117 points are the most scored by the Tigers this season, and is tied for fifth-most in school history.
“I think from a standpoint of what it’s supposed to look like, what it can look like, that’s about as good as it’s gotten since I’ve been here,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl.
Freshman Danjel Purifoy lead the way once again for Bruce Pearl's squad. After scoring a career-high 27 points on Monday, Purifoy returned home and scored 27 again. Purifoy was 5-10 from behind the arc on the night, and added seven rebounds and an assist. Freshman point guard Jared Harper was also hot from behind the arc, and made 5-of-6 three-pointers on his way to 16 points.
“It feels real good to get this win and also have 27 again,” Purifoy said.
At the end of the night, a total of nine Auburn players had made a basket from behind the arc, including walk-on guard Will Macoy who was 2-2 from three-point land.
The game was never in doubt for the Tigers, who ended the first half on a 31-5 run.
Freshman guard Mustapha Heron scored a quiet 17 points in the contest. He added seven rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocks. Backup point guard Ronnie Johnson added 11 points.
Bryce Brown and Horace Spencer were on the bench serving a suspension after being arrested on Tuesday night. Auburn, a team who has been outrebounded much of the season, was without their starting center. With Spencer out, freshman forward Anfernee McLemore was forced to play the five position. McLemore looked comfortable and scored a career-high nine points for the Tigers.
“It’s obviously the best we’ve played offensively together,” Pearl said. “We got a lot of good looks and we spread the floor and we were hard to guard because of how we shot it and spread it.
“I didn’t see it coming given all the adversity we had this week, but adversity tends to reveal character. It doesn’t build it, and perhaps in some ways our character got revealed tonight.”
Auburn will return to action in Auburn Arena on Sunday when Mercer comes to town. Tip-off is set for noon, and action can been seen on the SEC Network.
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