Auburn went into halftime Friday evening in Annapolis, Md., feeling as if it had a possession stolen. The shot clock seemed to freeze as Davidson dribbled up the court and hit a 3-pointer that cut a deficit that had been as large as 13 points down to just two at the break.
But the 23rd-ranked Tigers came out of the locker room hot. Danjel Purifoy hit a 3, Samir Doughty knifed into the lane for a layup and J’Von McCormick converted a three-point play during a quick burst that pushed their advantage back to double digits.
That ability to answer was crucial in a 76-66 victory over Davidson in the Veterans Classic on Friday.