AUBURN

STLOU

No. 13 Auburn rallies from 13-point deficit in win over SLU

AP
Dec 19, 2021

ST. LOUIS (AP) Walter Kessler scored 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots, and Wendell Green Jr. added 15 points and eight assists to help No. 13 Auburn Tigers overcome a 13-point deficit to beat Saint Louis Billikens 74-70 Saturday night.

K.D. Johnson hit a jump shot with nine seconds remaining to put Auburn (10-1) up 72-70, and Billikens forward Frances Okoro missed a pair of free throws with two seconds left.

''It was important to get tested ... and I was very proud of those guys,'' Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said after his team's second true road game.

Terrence Hargrove Jr. led Saint Louis (8-4) with 17 points and Yuri Collins added 13 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and eight assists.

''Just too many mistakes under three minutes, and they made us pay for every single one of them,'' Saint Louis coach Travis Ford said after his team's third loss in four games. ''To me, turnover, missed free throws under four minutes is when you've got to close it out, and that's kind of been the problem.''

Saint Louis was up 60-47 with 9:13 remaining due to a 9-0 run during which Pearl was called for a technical foul. Auburn countered by outscoring Saint Louis 27-10 for the remainder of the contest for its seventh straight win.

''We really just came together,'' Kessler said. ''The coaching staff did a great job calming us down. We did a great job of calming ourselves down and understood that basketball is a game of runs and we couldn't get rattled.''

Lior Berman hit a 3 with 2:14 remaining to give Auburn its first lead since 13:26 remaining in the first half.

Auburn held a 35-27 halftime lead after outscoring Saint Louis 26-13 over the final 10:42 of the first half. The Billikens didn't score in the final 4:04. Saint Louis answered with a 9-0 run of its own in the first 4:08 of the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Auburn: Currently owns the second-longest winning streak among SEC teams - behind only No. 19 LSU, which defeated Louisiana Tech 66-57 Saturday night.

Saint Louis: Despite not having a player taller than 6-foot-9, the Billikens outrebounded the Tigers 46-27 and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds.

WELCOME BACK

Pearl was back on the bench after serving a two-game suspension as part of the NCAA's ruling against Auburn for unethical conduct involving a former associated head coach. ... Forward Jaylin Williams returned after missing Tuesday night's contest with turf toe.

UP NEXT:

Auburn: Hosts Murray State on Wednesday.

Saint Louis: Faces Drake on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
AUB
Tigers
35
STL
Billikens
27

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Walker Kessler vs. Terrence Hargrove Jr. (Tigers gains possession)
19:58		K.D. Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Terrence Hargrove Jr. steals)
19:58	+2	Yuri Collins makes two point layup	0-2
19:17		K.D. Johnson misses three point jump shot
19:15		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
18:59		Marten Linssen misses two point jump shot
18:57		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
18:38	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point layup	2-2
18:18		Terrence Hargrove Jr. turnover (lost ball)
17:50		Zep Jasper misses three point jump shot
17:48		Jordan Nesbitt defensive rebound
17:26		Gibson Jimerson misses three point jump shot
17:24		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
17:20		Devan Cambridge turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Nesbitt steals)
17:16		Jordan Nesbitt misses two point layup
17:14		Terrence Hargrove Jr. offensive rebound
17:14		Jordan Nesbitt misses two point layup
17:14		Jordan Nesbitt offensive rebound
17:14		Jordan Nesbitt turnover (bad pass) (Devan Cambridge steals)
17:07		Jordan Nesbitt misses two point dunk
17:05		Billikens offensive rebound
17:03		Jordan Nesbitt blocks Zep Jasper's three point jump shot
17:01		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
16:51	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point layup (Yuri Collins assists)	2-4
16:47		Walker Kessler misses three point jump shot
16:45		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
16:32		Zep Jasper personal foul (Yuri Collins draws the foul)
16:20		Yuri Collins turnover (bad pass) (K.D. Johnson steals)
16:17	+2	Jaylin Williams makes two point layup (K.D. Johnson assists)	4-4
16:04		Gibson Jimerson misses two point layup
16:02		Tigers defensive rebound
15:50		Jaylin Williams misses two point layup
15:48		Dylan Cardwell offensive rebound
15:48		Dylan Cardwell misses two point dunk
15:48		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
15:40		Marten Linssen misses two point layup
15:38		Terrence Hargrove Jr. offensive rebound
15:36	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point layup	4-6
15:05		Devan Cambridge misses three point jump shot
15:05		Billikens defensive rebound
15:05		TV timeout
14:38	+2	Francis Okoro makes two point layup	4-8
14:24		Wendell Green Jr. misses two point layup
14:22		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
14:22		Dylan Cardwell personal foul (Yuri Collins draws the foul)
14:01		Dylan Cardwell blocks Fred Thatch Jr.'s two point layup
13:59		Billikens offensive rebound
13:43		Jordan Nesbitt misses three point jump shot
13:43		Dylan Cardwell defensive rebound
13:43		Fred Thatch Jr. personal foul
13:43	+3	Wendell Green Jr. makes three point jump shot (Dylan Cardwell assists)	7-8
13:16		Fred Thatch Jr. turnover (traveling)
13:00		Walker Kessler misses two point layup
12:58		Francis Okoro defensive rebound
12:57		Chris Moore personal foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
12:43		Yuri Collins misses two point layup
12:41		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
12:34	+2	Francis Okoro makes two point layup	7-10
12:28		Jabari Smith misses three point jump shot
12:26		DeAndre Jones defensive rebound
12:13		Fred Thatch Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Walker Kessler steals)
11:59		Wendell Green Jr. misses three point jump shot
11:57		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
11:51	+2	Jordan Nesbitt makes two point layup	7-12
11:36		Jabari Smith misses two point jump shot
11:34		Walker Kessler offensive rebound
11:28	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point dunk	9-12
11:09		Yuri Collins misses two point layup
11:07		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
11:04		TV timeout
10:57		DeAndre Jones turnover (bad pass) (Jabari Smith steals)
10:50		Jabari Smith misses two point layup
10:48		Terrence Hargrove Jr. defensive rebound
10:40	+2	Francis Okoro makes two point layup (Fred Thatch Jr. assists)	9-14
10:30	+3	Jabari Smith makes three point jump shot (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	12-14
10:08		Jordan Nesbitt misses three point jump shot
10:06		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
9:56	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point dunk (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	14-14
9:40		Terrence Hargrove Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:38		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
9:32		Wendell Green Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Nesbitt steals)
9:29		Walker Kessler shooting foul (Jordan Nesbitt draws the foul)
9:29		Jordan Nesbitt misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:29	+1	Jordan Nesbitt makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-15
9:29	+1	Jordan Nesbitt makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-15
9:20	+2	Jabari Smith makes two point jump shot (Zep Jasper assists)	16-15
9:01		Terrence Hargrove Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:59		Jabari Smith defensive rebound
8:44	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point layup	18-15
8:22	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point jump shot (Gibson Jimerson assists)	18-17
8:05		Jabari Smith turnover (lost ball) (Terrence Hargrove Jr. steals)
7:54		Gibson Jimerson misses three point jump shot
7:52		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
7:43	+3	Zep Jasper makes three point jump shot	21-17
7:18		Walker Kessler blocks Yuri Collins's two point layup
7:16		Billikens offensive rebound
7:16		TV timeout
7:09		Marten Linssen misses two point jump shot
7:07		Tigers defensive rebound
6:53		Jaylin Williams misses two point jump shot
6:51		Terrence Hargrove Jr. defensive rebound
6:42	+2	Yuri Collins makes two point layup	21-19
6:28	+2	Zep Jasper makes two point layup	23-19
6:09		Marten Linssen misses two point layup
6:07		Marten Linssen offensive rebound
6:07		Dylan Cardwell shooting foul (Marten Linssen draws the foul)
6:09	+1	Marten Linssen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-20
6:09	+1	Marten Linssen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-21
5:47	+2	Dylan Cardwell makes two point dunk (K.D. Johnson assists)	25-21
5:37		Terrence Hargrove Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:35		Dylan Cardwell defensive rebound
5:13		Jaylin Williams misses three point jump shot
5:11		Jordan Nesbitt defensive rebound
5:05	+2	Jordan Nesbitt makes two point layup	25-23
4:46	+2	K.D. Johnson makes two point jump shot	27-23
4:31	+2	Yuri Collins makes two point layup	27-25
4:13		Jordan Nesbitt shooting foul (K.D. Johnson draws the foul)
4:13		K.D. Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:13	+1	K.D. Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-25
4:05	+2	Gibson Jimerson makes two point layup (Yuri Collins assists)	28-27
3:42	+2	Jabari Smith makes two point layup	30-27
3:25		Jump ball. Lassina Traore vs. Jabari Smith (Jabari Smith gains possession)
3:25		Lassina Traore turnover (lost ball) (Jabari Smith steals)
3:25		TV timeout
3:10		Wendell Green Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:08		Billikens defensive rebound
2:35		Billikens turnover (shot clock violation)
2:35		Official timeout
2:12		Jordan Nesbitt personal foul (Jabari Smith draws the foul)
2:09		Walker Kessler misses two point layup
2:07		Francis Okoro defensive rebound
2:01		Billikens 30 second timeout
1:45		Francis Okoro misses two point jump shot
1:43		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
1:30	+3	K.D. Johnson makes three point jump shot (Walker Kessler assists)	33-27
1:08		Walker Kessler blocks Francis Okoro's two point layup
1:06		Jabari Smith defensive rebound
1:00	+2	Wendell Green Jr. makes two point layup	35-27
0:42		Devan Cambridge personal foul
0:32		Yuri Collins turnover (out of bounds)
0:08		Terrence Hargrove Jr. personal foul (Wendell Green Jr. draws the foul)
0:06		Walker Kessler offensive foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
0:06		Walker Kessler turnover
0:00		Yuri Collins misses two point layup
0:00		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
AUB
Tigers
39
STL
Billikens
43

Time		Play	Score
19:47	+2	Marten Linssen makes two point hook shot (Yuri Collins assists)	35-29
19:47	+2	Marten Linssen makes two point hook shot (Yuri Collins assists)	35-29
19:22		Devan Cambridge misses two point layup
19:20		Marten Linssen defensive rebound
19:09	+2	Marten Linssen makes two point dunk (Yuri Collins assists)	35-31
18:37		Jabari Smith misses two point jump shot
18:35		Zep Jasper offensive rebound
18:35		Yuri Collins personal foul (Zep Jasper draws the foul)
18:29		K.D. Johnson misses three point jump shot
18:29		Tigers offensive rebound
18:29		Jabari Smith misses two point jump shot
18:27		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
18:13	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point dunk (Yuri Collins assists)	35-33
17:51		Walker Kessler turnover (lost ball) (Yuri Collins steals)
17:48		Zep Jasper shooting foul (Jordan Nesbitt draws the foul)
17:48	+1	Jordan Nesbitt makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-34
17:48		Jordan Nesbitt misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:48		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
17:34		K.D. Johnson misses two point jump shot
17:32		Jordan Nesbitt defensive rebound
17:27		Walker Kessler blocks Jordan Nesbitt's two point layup
17:25		Marten Linssen offensive rebound
17:17		Marten Linssen misses two point jump shot
17:15		Terrence Hargrove Jr. offensive rebound
17:00		Yuri Collins turnover (lost ball) (Wendell Green Jr. steals)
16:56		Marten Linssen shooting foul (K.D. Johnson draws the foul)
16:56		K.D. Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:56		K.D. Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:56		K.D. Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:56		Terrence Hargrove Jr. defensive rebound
16:56		Chris Moore personal foul (Terrence Hargrove Jr. draws the foul)
16:38	+2	Yuri Collins makes two point jump shot	35-36
16:20		K.D. Johnson misses two point jump shot
16:18		Gibson Jimerson defensive rebound
16:08		Dylan Cardwell blocks Francis Okoro's two point dunk
16:06		Billikens offensive rebound
15:55		Yuri Collins turnover (lost ball) (Chris Moore steals)
15:50	+2	Jaylin Williams makes two point dunk (Chris Moore assists)	37-36
15:27		Jaylin Williams shooting foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
15:27		TV timeout
15:27		Francis Okoro misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:27	+1	Francis Okoro makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-37
15:27	+1	Francis Okoro makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-37
15:10		Wendell Green Jr. misses two point jump shot
15:08		Lior Berman offensive rebound
15:07	+2	Lior Berman makes two point layup	39-37
15:07		Gibson Jimerson shooting foul (Lior Berman draws the foul)
15:07		Lior Berman misses regular free throw 1 of 1
15:07		Jordan Nesbitt defensive rebound
14:50		Lior Berman personal foul
14:35		Jordan Nesbitt misses three point jump shot
14:33		Jaylin Williams defensive rebound
14:28		Yuri Collins personal foul
14:11	+3	Wendell Green Jr. makes three point jump shot	42-37
13:52		Lior Berman shooting foul (Gibson Jimerson draws the foul)
13:52	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-38
13:52	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-39
13:38		Francis Okoro blocks Wendell Green Jr.'s two point jump shot
13:36		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
13:25	+3	Gibson Jimerson makes three point jump shot (Jordan Nesbitt assists)	42-42
13:07		Walker Kessler misses three point jump shot
13:05		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
12:47	+3	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes three point jump shot (Yuri Collins assists)	42-45
12:31		Wendell Green Jr. misses two point layup
12:29		Devan Cambridge offensive rebound
12:25	+3	Wendell Green Jr. makes three point jump shot (Devan Cambridge assists)	45-45
12:14		Gibson Jimerson misses three point jump shot
12:14		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
12:14		Devan Cambridge personal foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
11:59		Terrence Hargrove Jr. misses two point layup
11:57		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
11:52	+2	Francis Okoro makes two point layup	45-47
11:44		Wendell Green Jr. misses three point jump shot
11:42		Gibson Jimerson defensive rebound
11:34	+2	Yuri Collins makes two point layup	45-49
11:34		TV timeout
11:17		Wendell Green Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Yuri Collins steals)
11:15		Jordan Nesbitt turnover (lost ball)
11:02		Jabari Smith turnover (lost ball) (Terrence Hargrove Jr. steals)
10:59	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point layup	45-51
10:42	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point alley-oop dunk (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	47-51
10:26		Jabari Smith personal foul (Terrence Hargrove Jr. draws the foul)
10:26	+1	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-52
10:26	+1	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-53
10:13		Devan Cambridge turnover (out of bounds)
9:54		Devan Cambridge personal foul (Jordan Nesbitt draws the foul)
9:54	+1	Jordan Nesbitt makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-54
9:54	+1	Jordan Nesbitt makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-55
9:54		Yuri Collins personal foul
9:36		K.D. Johnson misses two point layup
9:34		Terrence Hargrove Jr. defensive rebound
9:34		Bruce Pearl technical foul
9:34	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes technical free throw 1 of 2	47-56
9:34	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes technical free throw 2 of 2	47-57
9:13	+3	Yuri Collins makes three point jump shot	47-60
8:50		K.D. Johnson misses two point layup
8:48		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
8:22		Jordan Nesbitt misses three point jump shot
8:20		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
8:14		Francis Okoro shooting foul (K.D. Johnson draws the foul)
8:14	+1	K.D. Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-60
8:14		K.D. Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:14		Yuri Collins defensive rebound
7:53		Yuri Collins misses three point jump shot
7:51		Walker Kessler defensive rebound
7:46		K.D. Johnson offensive foul (Jordan Nesbitt draws the foul)
7:46		K.D. Johnson turnover
7:46		TV timeout
7:34		Jordan Nesbitt turnover (bad pass)
7:25		Terrence Hargrove Jr. personal foul (Walker Kessler draws the foul)
7:25		Walker Kessler misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:25	+1	Walker Kessler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-60
7:25	+1	Walker Kessler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-60
7:02		Yuri Collins turnover (lost ball)
6:51	+3	Jabari Smith makes three point jump shot (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	52-60
6:51		TV timeout
6:51		TV timeout
6:45		Jabari Smith personal foul (Yuri Collins draws the foul)
6:45		Yuri Collins misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:45		Yuri Collins misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:45		Yuri Collins misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:45		Jabari Smith defensive rebound
6:30	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point dunk (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	54-60
6:03	+2	Francis Okoro makes two point alley-oop dunk (Yuri Collins assists)	54-62
5:49	+2	Wendell Green Jr. makes two point layup	56-62
5:14		Billikens turnover (shot clock violation)
4:57	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point dunk (K.D. Johnson assists)	58-62
4:31		Walker Kessler blocks Terrence Hargrove Jr.'s two point layup
4:31		Walker Kessler blocks Terrence Hargrove Jr.'s two point layup
4:29		Billikens offensive rebound
4:27	+2	Terrence Hargrove Jr. makes two point jump shot (Yuri Collins assists)	58-64
4:09	+2	Walker Kessler makes two point alley-oop dunk (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	60-64
4:04		Terrence Hargrove Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:02		Yuri Collins offensive rebound
3:40		Yuri Collins turnover (lost ball)
3:40		Yuri Collins personal foul
3:40		TV timeout
3:40	+1	K.D. Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-64
3:40	+1	K.D. Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-64
3:21		Lior Berman personal foul
3:21	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-65
3:21	+1	Gibson Jimerson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-66
3:14		K.D. Johnson misses three point jump shot
3:12		Tigers offensive rebound
3:11		Francis Okoro personal foul (Walker Kessler draws the foul)
3:11	+1	Walker Kessler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-66
3:11	+1	Walker Kessler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-66
2:40		Billikens turnover (shot clock violation)
2:27		Terrence Hargrove Jr. blocks Jabari Smith's three point jump shot
2:25		Tigers offensive rebound
2:14	+3	Lior Berman makes three point jump shot (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	67-66
1:51		Francis Okoro misses two point layup
1:49		Jordan Nesbitt offensive rebound
1:47		Jordan Nesbitt misses two point layup
1:45		Francis Okoro offensive rebound
1:44		Lior Berman shooting foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
1:44		Francis Okoro misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:44	+1	Francis Okoro makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-67
1:44	+1	Francis Okoro makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-67
1:32	+3	Jabari Smith makes three point jump shot (Wendell Green Jr. assists)	70-67
1:09		Jordan Nesbitt misses three point jump shot
1:07		Jabari Smith defensive rebound
0:45		K.D. Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Yuri Collins steals)
0:37	+3	Jordan Nesbitt makes three point jump shot (Gibson Jimerson assists)	70-70
0:09	+2	K.D. Johnson makes two point jump shot	72-70
0:02		Walker Kessler shooting foul (Francis Okoro draws the foul)
0:02		Francis Okoro misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:02		Billikens 30 second timeout
0:02		Tigers 30 second timeout
0:02		Francis Okoro misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:02		Francis Okoro misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:02		Tigers defensive rebound
0:02		Yuri Collins personal foul
0:02	+1	Wendell Green Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	73-70
0:02	+1	Wendell Green Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	74-70

+ 1

Wendell Green Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2