TUSCALOOSA | Auburn was in search of history on Tuesday night. Winning in Coleman Coliseum isn't easy. Bruce Pearl knows it. But Auburn was able to accomplish what it set out to do on Tuesday and left with an 81-77 win.
Jabari Smith was "the difference" in the game with a career-high 25 points, along with big performances from others to leave Tuscaloosa victorious.
It didn't come easy, with Alabama going on a 14-0 run to tie it up late, but road wins in the SEC never do.
Takeaways from the game:
Jabari Smith was the difference...
Bruce Pearl kept it simple after the game and he was exactly right.
"The difference was No. 10 in orange," Pearl said on the Auburn radio network.
Smith went for 25 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor, 3-of-6 from deep and 6-for-10 from the free throw line, adding seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals.
He didn't have one of his patented big momentum-killing threes, but when the game was tied at 73, he hit two free throws to give Auburn the lead. It essentially acted as one of his momentum-killing shots.
"We just came out here and just focused on staying together and getting the victory," Smith said. "And I just came with the mindset in the game that I wasn't gonna let the crowd bother me. I was gonna shoot my shot, get to my spots and just let the game come to me. I ended up doing that. I had a big game, and we ended up getting the win."
Smith proved why he's in contention for the No. 1 pick and was the best player on the court the whole way through.
Credit to Allen Flanigan and Dylan Cardwell...
Allen Flanigan came into the game with four attempted free throws in the three games he's played so far this season.
Then, with the game on the line tied at 77, Flanigan hit four straight free throws to ice it. Flanigan also got both of the late defensive rebounds before getting fouled to go to the line.
"Those balls he shot didn’t even hit the rim. They barely hit the net," Pearl said. "And Allen, I told him after the game, ‘That’s all those hours in the gym with your grandfather and your father. You earned those shots. You earned those free throws, and you made history tonight.’"
Before getting in some foul trouble Flanigan was playing more comfortable than he has all season and was key for Auburn in the first half.
And then when Alabama had one last shot to get back in it, Dylan Cardwell blocked the three to officially ice it.
With Walker Kessler in foul trouble and a small-ball lineup with Jaylin Williams not working overly well, it meant extended minutes for Cardwell.
Cardwell put up six points, six rebounds and four blocks in 18 minutes. His impact on the game was massive, and Auburn could use more of that Cardwell moving forward.
Weathering the storm yet again...
Auburn's had some scares earlier in the season losing its lead and then being able to regain it late. It's been a concern of Auburn fans that eventually it will come back to bite the team. And it still may down the road, but Auburn weathered the storm yet again on Tuesday.
The Tigers went up by 14 and put in the starters with under eight minutes left looking for the kill. Instead, Alabama went on a 14-0 run and tied it up.
Alabama tied at 73, then Smith hit two free throws. Alabama tied it at 75, then K.D. Johnson hit a layup. Alabama tied it at 77, then Flanigan hit four more free throws.
It wasn't pretty, but Auburn did enough to leave Coleman Coliseum with a win.
"We were kind of searching for anything late," Pearl said. "You know, fortunately, we got some fouls. We got fouled, and Allen stepped up and made four. We really won the game with our defense. We really won the game by getting stops."