Timme, Kispert lead No. 1 Gonzaga past Auburn 90-67
AP
Nov 27, 2020
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) It's going to take more than getting up early in the morning to beat Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Drew Timme had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Corey Kispert scored 25 points and the top-ranked Bulldogs cruised past Auburn Tigers 90-67 on Friday in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off.
Timme, who left the game with about eight minutes remaining, went 11 of 16 from the field. Kispert made four 3-pointers. Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga's highest-rated recruit, added 12 points and six assists.
''We feel we can score on anybody,'' Timme said. ''We've got great coaching. If we execute our offense and move the ball and not get stymied, we feel we can score on every team.''
Allen Flanigan scored 20 points to lead Auburn (1-1), which is replacing five starters from last season.
A day after beating No. 6 Kansas 102-90, the Bulldogs (2-0) started strong in a game that tipped off at 11 a.m. - or 8 a.m. for the players' body clocks.
An 11-0 run gave Gonzaga an early 16-6 lead. The sequence featured a three-point play by Timme, a 3-pointer by Jay Ayayi, a steal and slam by Suggs and a 3-pointer by Kispert.
''We had different games against high-level athletes and we responded with a short turnaround,'' Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. ''We had a meeting at 11 p.m., then got up at 7 a.m. That's a 4 a.m. wakeup with a walk-through in the parking lot. We're throwing a lot at these guys.''
Gonzaga played without Julian Strawther, who tested positive for COVID-19. Few said the teams' medicals staffs worked together and followed Florida protocols to play the game.
''That's how the preseason went,'' he said.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 17 points in the first half and had a 49-35 advantage at halftime.
In the second half, another 11-0 run made it 74-47 and the margin went as high as 30 points.
''They like to play fast,'' Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. ''They play good defense but they're not elite so there will be more possessions. The shot clock isn't running down. They can score anytime. Mark is a brilliant offensive coach. Everything they run is well thought out. They absolutely can average in the high 90s.''
FEW VS. SEC
While this was the first meeting between Auburn and Gonzaga, Few is 3-1 when coaching against Pearl. Overall, Few is 12-8 vs. Southeastern Conference teams. The Bulldogs only have played an SEC school once in the NCAA Tournament. That was in 2017 when Gonzaga beat South Carolina 77-73 to reach the national title game, which it lost to North Carolina.
BIG PICTURE
Gonzaga: One of Few's concerns coming into the game was how his team would fare on the boards against Auburn. However, the Bulldogs finished with a 44-32 rebounding advantage.
''I thought we'd have a big problem keeping them off the glass,'' Few said. ''So without drilling them on rebounding, we challenged the guys and they stepped up. We challenged Drew to get a double-double and he sneaked one (rebound) there at the end to get 10.''
Gonzaga has perhaps fewer concerns about its inside game on offense. The Bulldogs scored 62 points in the paint against Kansas and followed that with a 52-point effort against Auburn.
Auburn: Pearl, who has made the Tigers NCAA Tournament regulars, said the key to returning in 2021 is to keep improving.
''We have 10-11 good players and we need our first five players to get better than our second five and we're not there yet,'' he said.
UP NEXT
Another Power Five opponent awaits Gonzaga, which faces No. 15 West Virginia in Indianapolis - site of this year's Final Four - on Wednesday.
Auburn plays at Central Florida on Monday.
---
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
1st Half
AUB
Tigers
35
GONZ
Bulldogs
49
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Jaylin Williams vs. Drew Timme (Allen Flanigan gains possession)
19:48
Jaylin Williams misses three point jump shot
19:46
Anton Watson defensive rebound
19:28
+2
Corey Kispert makes two point layup
0-2
19:00
+3
Devan Cambridge makes three point jump shot (Allen Flanigan assists)
3-2
18:53
+2
Corey Kispert makes two point layup (Jalen Suggs assists)
3-4
18:53
JT Thor shooting foul (Corey Kispert draws the foul)
18:53
+1
Corey Kispert makes regular free throw 1 of 1
3-5
18:48
Anton Watson kicked ball violation
18:41
Joel Ayayi personal foul
18:31
+3
Tyrell Jones makes three point jump shot
6-5
18:14
+2
Drew Timme makes two point layup (Joel Ayayi assists)
6-7
18:14
Jaylin Williams shooting foul (Drew Timme draws the foul)
18:14
+1
Drew Timme makes regular free throw 1 of 1
6-8
18:08
Devan Cambridge misses three point jump shot
18:06
Joel Ayayi defensive rebound
17:53
Tyrell Jones blocks Joel Ayayi's two point layup
17:51
Dylan Cardwell defensive rebound
17:51
Devan Cambridge turnover (lost ball)
17:39
+3
Joel Ayayi makes three point jump shot (Corey Kispert assists)
6-11
17:25
Tyrell Jones turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Suggs steals)
17:20
+2
Jalen Suggs makes two point dunk
6-13
17:04
Tyrell Jones misses three point jump shot
17:02
Anton Watson defensive rebound
16:51
Anton Watson misses three point jump shot
16:49
Allen Flanigan defensive rebound
16:43
Allen Flanigan turnover (bad pass)
16:32
Joel Ayayi turnover (bad pass) (Dylan Cardwell steals)
16:25
Jamal Johnson turnover (lost ball)
16:01
Jalen Suggs misses three point jump shot
15:59
Drew Timme offensive rebound
15:50
+3
Corey Kispert makes three point jump shot (Anton Watson assists)
6-16
15:32
Jaylin Williams offensive foul (Drew Timme draws the foul)
15:32
Jaylin Williams turnover
15:32
TV timeout
15:21
Anton Watson misses three point jump shot
15:19
Justin Powell defensive rebound
15:04
+3
Jamal Johnson makes three point jump shot (JT Thor assists)
9-16
14:51
Babatunde Akingbola blocks Drew Timme's two point jump shot
14:49
Justin Powell defensive rebound
14:37
+3
Jamal Johnson makes three point jump shot (Justin Powell assists)
12-16
14:30
+3
Drew Timme makes three point jump shot (Jalen Suggs assists)
12-19
14:23
JT Thor turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Suggs steals)
14:19
+2
Jalen Suggs makes two point layup
12-21
14:19
JT Thor shooting foul (Jalen Suggs draws the foul)
14:19
Jalen Suggs misses regular free throw 1 of 1
14:19
Justin Powell defensive rebound
13:47
Jalen Suggs blocks Chris Moore's two point layup
13:45
Drew Timme defensive rebound
13:35
+2
Drew Timme makes two point layup
12-23
13:19
+2
Babatunde Akingbola makes two point jump shot (JT Thor assists)
14-23
13:10
+3
Corey Kispert makes three point jump shot (Jalen Suggs assists)
14-26
12:46
+2
Justin Powell makes two point jump shot
16-26
12:31
Andrew Nembhard misses three point jump shot
12:29
Babatunde Akingbola defensive rebound
12:23
Jamal Johnson misses three point jump shot
12:21
JT Thor offensive rebound
12:15
Justin Powell misses two point jump shot
12:13
Drew Timme defensive rebound
12:06
Aaron Cook misses three point jump shot
12:04
Corey Kispert offensive rebound
11:45
Andrew Nembhard misses two point jump shot
11:43
Justin Powell defensive rebound
11:40
Corey Kispert personal foul (Dylan Cardwell draws the foul)
11:40
TV timeout
11:37
Chris Moore misses two point jump shot
11:35
Aaron Cook defensive rebound
11:30
+2
Aaron Cook makes two point layup
16-28
11:30
Chris Moore shooting foul (Aaron Cook draws the foul)
11:30
Aaron Cook misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:30
Dylan Cardwell defensive rebound
11:20
Aaron Cook personal foul (Justin Powell draws the foul)
11:08
+2
Justin Powell makes two point layup
18-28
10:44
Andrew Nembhard turnover (bad pass)
10:40
+2
Javon Franklin makes two point dunk (Jamal Johnson assists)
20-28
10:11
+2
Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Aaron Cook assists)
20-30
9:56
Dylan Cardwell turnover (lost ball)
9:43
+2
Jalen Suggs makes two point layup
20-32
9:16
Anton Watson personal foul (Tyrell Jones draws the foul)
8:54
Jaylin Williams misses two point jump shot
8:52
Jalen Suggs defensive rebound
8:47
Jaylin Williams blocks Joel Ayayi's two point layup
8:45
Babatunde Akingbola defensive rebound
8:42
Tyrell Jones turnover (bad pass)
8:33
Jaylin Williams personal foul (Drew Timme draws the foul)
8:29
Jalen Suggs misses three point jump shot
8:27
Allen Flanigan defensive rebound
8:17
Allen Flanigan misses two point jump shot
8:15
Drew Timme defensive rebound
8:10
Joel Ayayi misses three point jump shot
8:08
Drew Timme offensive rebound
8:03
+2
Drew Timme makes two point layup
20-34
7:52
Devan Cambridge misses three point jump shot
7:50
Drew Timme defensive rebound
7:45
JT Thor personal foul (Andrew Nembhard draws the foul)
7:45
TV timeout
7:45
+1
Andrew Nembhard makes regular free throw 1 of 2
20-35
7:45
Andrew Nembhard misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:45
Anton Watson offensive rebound
7:34
+2
Drew Timme makes two point jump shot
20-37
7:17
Devan Cambridge misses two point layup
7:15
Babatunde Akingbola offensive rebound
7:13
+2
Babatunde Akingbola makes two point tip shot
22-37
7:07
Jalen Suggs turnover (bad pass) (Tyrell Jones steals)
7:03
Jalen Suggs shooting foul (Tyrell Jones draws the foul)
7:03
+1
Tyrell Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2
23-37
7:05
+1
Tyrell Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2
24-37
7:05
Bulldogs 30 second timeout
6:55
Jalen Suggs offensive foul (Devan Cambridge draws the foul)
6:55
Jalen Suggs turnover
6:44
+3
Allen Flanigan makes three point jump shot
27-37
6:17
Drew Timme misses two point jump shot
6:15
Javon Franklin defensive rebound
6:02
Allen Flanigan misses three point jump shot
6:00
Jalen Suggs defensive rebound
5:56
+2
Jalen Suggs makes two point layup
27-39
5:32
+3
Devan Cambridge makes three point jump shot (Tyrell Jones assists)