NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Kelly made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, All-American Johni Broome added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 1 seed Auburn beat 16th-seeded Alabama State 83-63 on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Coach Bruce Pearl's Tigers (29-5) lasted one game in 2024, losing to Yale days after winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament. This time, Auburn came in having lost three of four inside the power-packed SEC with a resume still strong enough to earn the top overall seed among the four No. 1 teams.
Auburn will play No. 9 seed Creighton, an 89-75 winner over eighth-seeded Louisville, in the second round of the South Region on Saturday for a trip to the Sweet 16 in Atlanta.
Tahaad Petitford added 16 points for Auburn and Chaney Johnson had 13.
The Tigers improved to 7-0 against Alabama State (20-16) with this the first NCAA Tournament game between the schools separated by about 50 miles in south Alabama. The historically Black university still goes home with its first NCAA Tournament win in its fifth appearance, having beaten Saint Francis in the First Four on Tuesday.
Amarr Knox led Alabama State with 18 points. TJ Madlock added 11.
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