Tip-Off Countdown: #38 Auburn 79 Arkansas 56

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

This game was over in a HURRY!

February 20, 2019 - Auburn Arena

Auburn needed a game like this. After struggling on offense in the previous 2 games, the Tigers came home to face an Arkansas team that really needed a win for their NCAA Tournament resume. Instead, they ran into a buzzsaw early and never recovered as the 3-point shooting from Auburn was en fuego to start this game.

On the first possession, Anfernee McLemore got it started knocking down a 3. 2 possessions later, Malik Dunbar would knock one down and Chuma Okeke would do the same on the next possession as Auburn led 9-0 104 seconds into the game.

After the Hogs got on the board with a free throw, Bryce Brown would join the 3-point party after a steal from Malik Dunbar. Dunbar’s 2nd 3 of the contest made it 17-1 4:22 into the game and Samir Doughty would join the shooting party 6 ¹⁄₂ minutes into the game to finish off a 22-1 run to start the game.

Arkansas finally made a basket 7 minutes into the game but Auburn kept the gas on the pedal in the first half. Auburn made 8 of their first 11 3-point attempts and was 10-19 in the 1st half.

Auburn would build a 39-9 lead 15 minutes into the game and led 45-20 at halftime as 5 Tigers had at least 6 points in the first half.

As he did to start the game, Anfernee knocked down a 3 in the first minute of the 2nd half as Arkansas never threatened a comeback in this one.

While the 3s were falling most of the night, here’s some great ball movement leading to an easy dunk for McLemore midway through the 2nd half.

team work makes the dream work pic.twitter.com/reIAoOLP0Q

— Skye Underwood (@SkyeUnderwood) February 21, 2019

For the game, Auburn finished 17-33 from 3. In comparison, Arkansas shot 4-26 from distance.

Bryce Brown led Auburn with 18 points and was 5-8 from 3. Anfernee McLemore had 13 points and 6 rebounds. Chuma Okeke had 11 points and was 3-5 from 3. And Jared Harper had 10 points, going 3-7 from 3.

Here are the highlights!

Auburn would go into Lexington next and quite frankly get humbled in a blowout loss by 27 points, 80-53 to Kentucky. Auburn entered their final 4 games of the regular season at 18-9 and 7-7 in the SEC. What happened next is the greatest 12 game run in the history of Auburn Basketball.

I’ll leave you with that today, War Eagle!

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