Following a career-high 33 points against CSUN, senior Samir Doughty continued his hot start to the season against Colgate, finishing the night with 20 points, including a step-back 3-pointer that had Auburn Arena quickly on its feet early in a big win over the Raiders.
“I originally wasn’t gonna shoot the ball until I seen him fall,” Doughty said. “Then I just stepped-back and shot it. I didn’t expect him to fall like that but I kinda knew the shot was going in. I just wanted to get the crowd into it.”
While Doughty continued to play a big role, Auburn also got big contributions from J’Von McCormick, Danjel Purifoy and Isaac Okoro.
Auburn is now 5-0 on the season for the first time in 15 years.
“To be able to finish these first five games in the position we’re in, and to have seen us get better, we have gotten better is very encouraging,” head coach Bruce Pearl said after the game. “Samir Doughty played with great confidence and real swag. Austin Wiley was physically more and more dominant, you can see him getting back into it. Danjel [Purifoy] shot it really well and had a good feel to him.”
In Auburn’s matchup with CSUN, McCormick broke the school record with 16 assists, adding two points. On Monday night, McCormick continued to share the ball with eight assists to go along with 14 points and three rebounds.
“J’Von is the fastest guy out their on the floor,” Pearl said. “Can’t stay in front of him. He’s passing and just had two turnovers which is really good.”
The freshman Isaac Okoro continued to play a big role with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists. The first half ended with a big-time slam from Okoro to put the Tigers up by 32 at the break. Okoro was 5-of-11 from the field and played the most minutes on the team.
“Isaac just continues to be Isaac,” Pearl said.
Senior Austin Wiley had his first double-double of the season, putting up 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The final score wasn’t a full depiction of the game for the Tigers. Leading by as many as 41, Colgate responded with a 19-5 run in the second half, forcing six turnovers. The Tigers were outscored in the second half, 41-38.
“Look, they outplayed us in the second half,” Pearl said. “We were still playing hard and we were still trying, we got outplayed.”
For Auburn though, a much-needed break now awaits. After playing five games in 13 days, Auburn doesn’t play again until next Monday, Nov. 25 against New Mexico in Brooklyn.
“I want to give my strength coach, Damon Davis, and his assistant, Josh, a shoutout in the sense that five games in 13 days is a lot,” Pearl said. “I can tell you just from the stand-point of our workload and the preparation. We take ‘em all real seriously.”
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