The Auburn Tigers are back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since their historic Final Four run in 2019. As the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, Auburn had to overcome a battle-tested Creighton squad, ultimately pulling away in the second half for an 82-70 victory in the second round of the South Region on Saturday night.
Head coach Bruce Pearl knew his Tigers would have to fight to advance past ninth-seeded Creighton, a team with deep tournament experience under coach Greg McDermott. Auburn (30-5) found itself in a back-and-forth battle early, with seven ties and 16 lead changes in the game. Creighton shot an impressive 64% from three-point range in the first half and took a slim 37-35 lead into the break.
However, Auburn flipped the script in the second half, turning up the defensive intensity and holding Creighton scoreless for more than six minutes during a decisive 10-0 run. Freshman Tahaad Pettiford sparked the surge, scoring six points during the stretch and finishing with 23 points—16 of which came after halftime.
“We had to find our defensive identity,” Pearl said after the game. “Creighton is an experienced team, but we locked in when it mattered most.”
Auburn’s bench played a major role, outscoring Creighton’s reserves 31-10. The Tigers also dominated inside, outscoring the Bluejays 42-24 in the paint.
Tahaad Pettiford led all scorers with 23 points, showing his ability to take over in big moments. Chad Baker-Mazara added 17 points, battling through a right hip injury in the second half but returning to contribute key minutes. Denver Jones chipped in 15 points for the Tigers.
Johni Broome, Auburn’s All-American center, struggled offensively (8 points on 4-of-13 shooting) but pulled down 12 rebounds and had a crucial tip-in that extended Auburn’s lead to 66-54. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton’s veteran big man, finished his college career with 18 points and won the head-to-head battle with Broome, but it wasn’t enough for the Bluejays.
Creighton kept things close until the 14:13 mark of the second half when Kalkbrenner’s free throws gave them a 50-48 lead. Auburn immediately responded with a three-point play from Baker-Mazara, taking the lead for good.
Auburn now moves on to face No. 5 seed Michigan in the South Region semifinals in Atlanta next weekend. The Tigers are chasing their first-ever national championship after last year’s early exit in the first round.
Pearl, reflecting on Auburn’s journey, also took time postgame to call for the release of Edan Alexander, the last remaining American hostage being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Creighton (25-11) falls short of its fourth Sweet 16 appearance in the last five years. McDermott’s squad fought hard, but Auburn’s second-half dominance proved too much to overcome.
With their sights set on a deep tournament run, Auburn will aim to keep its momentum rolling as the No. 1 overall seed. If their second-half performance against Creighton is any indication, the Tigers are ready for the challenge ahead.
