Auburn survives upset bid by New Mexico State
A.J. Harris had an easy layup for the tie. He wanted a win for New Mexico State.
It didn’t work out, but boyoh-boy, what a way for the Aggies to go down swinging Thursday against fifth-seeded Auburn in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament in Salt Lake City.
With the clock ticking down, Harris passed on an open layup and kicked out to wide-open teammate Terrell Brown , who was spotted up for the gamewinner behind the arc. Brown was fouled as he took the shot but missed two of three free throws with 1.1 seconds left, and New Mexico State fell 78-77.
It’s hard to call the Aggies losers after their showing in the opening round of the Midwest Region, though.
“I can sit up here and second guess,” said New Mexico State coach Chris Jans, “but if he makes the 3, or makes all three free throws, it’s an Ali-frazier moment.”
Harris said he knew the Aggies (30-5) were trailing by two as he took the inbounds pass with 6 seconds left, darted up the left side of the court, sped past J’von Mccormick, then got a step on Auburn forward Chuma Okeke.
There was nothing but air between the 5-foot-9 guard and the basket as he made his way through the key.
“Yes, I did, I had an open shot,” Harris said. “But I felt Terrell Brown was going to hit the 3.”
He missed, but took a foul from Bryce Brown, who was late getting out to the arc, and clearly as shocked as anyone to see the ball get kicked back out.
“They have a lot of shotblockers on their team, so I could see why he would kick it out,” Terrell Brown said of his teammate’s decision.
With Mccormick making the choke sign as Brown toed the line — “I saw in his face, he was pretty scared,” Mccormick said — the junior guard watched his first free throw rim out. He stepped up again and made the second. Then the third one bounced around the iron before bounding out.
Auburn (27-9) knocked the rebound out of bounds and New Mexico State’s Trevelin Queen had an open look from the wing at the buzzer but shot an air ball.
The Tigers led by as many as 13 midway through the second half and Mccormick’s three-point play gave Auburn a 73-65 lead with 2:13 left.
Two turnovers, two missed free throws and two Aggies 3-pointers later, the Tigers were fighting for their lives, hoping Brown, a 78 percent free-throw shooter, would miss at least one. He missed two. KANSAS 87, NORTHEASTERN 53: Dedric Lawson had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and fourth-seeded Kansas (26-9) dominated inside for a rout over 13th-seeded Northeastern (23-11) in Salt Lake City. The Jayhawks had a notable size advantage inside and used it, outscoring the Huskies 50-16 in the paint while grabbing 17 more rebounds. Kansas will face Auburn in Saturday’s second round. Jordan Roland had 12 points to lead the Huskies, who shot 28 percent overall.
KENTUCKY 79, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 44: With PJ Washington watching from the bench in a cast, second-seeded Kentucky (28-6) romped over Abilene Christian (27-7) in Jacksonville, Florida. Keldon Johnson scored 25 points in a huge mismatch that was over by halftime. The Wildcats shot 60 percent in the opening period, held 15th-seeded Abilene Christian to 5 of 26 from the field and went to the locker room with a 39-13 lead. Reid Travis added 18 points and Tyler Herro 14 for Kentucky.