Jerusalem, Israel – In the first of three games in Israel on their international tour, the Auburn men’s basketball team looked impressive with a 117-56 win over the Israel U-20 national team on Tuesday at the Malha Arena.
Thirteen players scored for the Tigers, including six in double figures. student in the first year Yohan Traore led by 20 points in 7-of-12 shooting. Traore ended the game in style with a reverse dunk in the closing seconds.
“You can see the talent, you can see the benefits, you can see his ability to finish and obviously being able to play in space,” said the Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. “I think the good thing about our situation is that we have a strong team. This is our strength. Our strength is the fact that we can put 12 guys out there. I thought our kids did a great job sharing the minutes and being very selfless.”
Auburn finished the game with 32 assists and 46 baskets. returnees Wendell Green Jr. and KD Johnson Each handed out a team high five assists in the freshman Tre Donaldson added four. Johnson also poured in 13 points and knocked down three 3-pointers.
The middle combination Johni Broom and Dylan Cardwell dominated inside. Broome, a transfer from Morehead State, was second on the team with 17 points, and he also had nine rebounds and blocked the team’s best four shots. Cardwell recorded the team’s only double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds and added three blocks.
“It was the first double-double of my life, I think,” Cardwell said. “It was fun. Hopefully it won’t be the last. I just hope to keep us going. It’s my job to go out there and bounce, defend and play with energy.”
Offensively, it was a slow start for Auburn, who led 21-8 by the end of the first quarter. But shots started falling in the second quarter, and the Tigers got a spark from Senior Allen Flanigan who did a hard and-1 in transition, followed by a 3 from the top of the key to cap a 12-2 run. Flanigan finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Auburn went into halftime 57-22 thanks largely to defensive performance.
“Auburn’s defense was stifling, especially in the first half,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said on the show. “They were together, out in the fast lanes, communicating on switches, blocking shots, very alert. It might not have been perfect, no game ever is, but I think Bruce Pearl must be satisfied with how united and hard his team played defensively.”
student in the first year Chance WestryPlaying his first game in a maroon uniform, he scored 13 points and showed great skill as a versatile 6-foot-6 guard.
Jaylin Williams missed by almost two digits with nine points. Green added eight points and grabbed seven rebounds in addition to his five assists. and Zep jaspera returning senior, was an efficient 3-of-4 from the field and added seven points.
The Tigers will return to the field on Sunday to play the Israel Select All-Star Team. The game will be re-broadcast on the SEC Network and is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. CT.