Auburn Advances to the Sweet 16 After Defeating Creighton 82-70 on Saturday

LEXINGTON, KY.- Auburn holds on against Creighton's first-half three-point barrage in Saturday's round of 32 game at Rupp Arena, where Bruce Pearl's Tigers defeated the Bluejays 82-70 behind Auburn Freshman Guard Tahaad Pettiford's 23 points.

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This game began with a mid-range jumper from Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara, who collected 17 points in the Tigers' win Saturday. Creighton’s Center Ryan Kalkbrenner hit a bank shot three, paving the way for an abundance of made shots from beyond the arc, with the Bluejays closing the first half with nine three-pointers while shooting a jaw-dropping 64% from deep.

Creighton's freshman forward Jack McAndrew dominated him in the first half, shooting unconscious from deep. McAndrew made four three-pointers in the first half, including an epic three to cap the half with Auburn's Chaney Johnson in his face. Creighton's Foward's three-pointer ended the second half with the BlueJays leading 37-35.

In the second half, Auburn fired on all cylinders, effectively shutting down McAndrew and preventing him from making another shot for the remainder of the game. Auburn's guards had a tremendous second half, sinking seven three-pointers. Meanwhile, Pearl's team continued to dominate Creighton in the paint, ultimately finishing the game with an 18-point advantage in that area.

Creighton kept the game close and continued to fight until the end. They cut a 14-point deficit down to 6 points with 1:38 left in the game. Unfortunately for Creighton, Auburn's explosive offense was too much to handle. Senior guard Denver Jones delivered a clutch and-one layup with 1:11 remaining in regulation, extending the Tigers' lead back to 9 points. Creighton was unable to recover, and Pettiford made several key free throws late in the game, securing a 12-point victory for the Tigers.

This win marks Auburn's 30th of the season, the most since the 2018-2019 season when the Tigers made their first Final Four berth in school history.

Auburn will meet fourth-seeded Michigan in its first Sweet 16 berth since 2019 and sixth overall in program history. The Tigers will face the Wolverines in Atlanta on Friday, March 28th.

The Wolverines' team assist leader, former Auburn guard Tre Donaldson, who spent two years with Pearl and the Tigers before moving to Ann Arbor this offseason, will seek to defeat his former team in the Regional Semifinal.

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