AUBURN, Alabama -- In just his third game with the Auburn men's basketball team, Bruce Pearl has accomplished a feat Tony Barbee and Jeff Lebo failed to do in 10 combined seasons coaching the Tigers: Reach 100 points.
The shots were falling at Auburn Arena Friday night, as the Tigers dominated Louisiana-Lafayette in the second half for a 105-80 win. It is the first time the Tigers have reached the century mark in scoring since Nov. 29, 2003, when Auburn topped Grambling 105-56 under Cliff Ellis.
Three players reached double digits in scoring for Auburn (2-1) and forward Cinmeon Bowers was a force in the paint again for the Tigers, recording his third double-double of the season.
The win over the 2014 Sun Belt champs comes just days after the Tigers were dominated at Colorado by 31 points Tuesday. Friday's game marked the final on-campus game of the MGM Grand Main Event, which continues next week in Las Vegas, Nev.
Play of the Game: During a 15-4 Auburn run in the second half, guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen's breakaway steal and layup with 10:43 to play gave Auburn a 16-point lead. Louisiana-Lafayette burned a timeout immediately after the play, but the Ragin' Cajuns were unable to climb back into the game after keeping it relatively close up to that point. Auburn coasted the rest of the way.
By the Numbers: After shooting just 29 percent from the field at Colorado, the Tigers greatly improved Friday night by going 36-for-66 from the floor for 54.5 percent. They also did well on the boards, out-rebounding Louisiana-Lafayette 36-31.
Gameballs: Bowers finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers. KT Harrell, meanwhile, finished with a game-high 24 points and four boards. Brian Williams led Louisiana-Lafayette with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Coachspeak: "It feels great. It's the way we like to play, and the kids had fun playing it. I think our fans enjoyed watching it... That's the best we've played, and we had some guys with some career numbers." -- Auburn's Bruce Pearl
"They played extremely well and we couldn't keep the basketball in front. They made a lot of 3-point shots and free throws too, that was the difference in the game... Auburn played hard and had a great stretch there in the second half." -- Louisiana-Lafayette's Bob Marlin
Playerspeak: "My coaches and teammates have been encouraging me to keep shooting and not worry about missing. In the second half, they started to drop. Coach said if we focus on defense, our offense will come. Our main focus tonight was getting pressure on their guards. We got on a run in the second half and opened the score up." -- Auburn G Tahj Shamsid-Deen
"I feel Coach Pearl put me in great situations to show my skill set at 6-9. I'm shooting and able to pass. I feel like with the work coaches are putting in with me, I can help out a lot and spread the floor." -- Auburn F Jordon Granger
What's Next? Auburn faces Tulsa Monday night at 10 p.m. CT in the MGM Grand Main Event "Heavyweight Bracket." In the "Middleweight Bracket," Louisiana-Lafayette will face Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which Auburn defeated in its season opener, at 5 p.m.
Notes: Four players had career nights in points for the Tigers. Tahj Shamsid-Deen, Cinmeon Bowers and Jordon Granger scored 21, 20 and 14 points, respectively. Malcolm Canada tied his career high in points with 10 and had a career-high six assists.