Wildcats suffer 1st loss of season, 43-42 to Auburn

Posted November 23, 2022 12:00 am

Associated Press

CANCUN, Mexico - K.D. Johnson scored 12 points, Allen Flanigan made a contested go-ahead layup with 31 seconds left and No. 13 Auburn held on to beat Northwestern 43-42 on Wednesday night in the championship game of the Cancun Challenge.

Jaylin Williams made 3 of 6 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points for the Tigers (6-0).

Chase Audige hit Northwestern's second 3-pointer to take a 40-39 lead with 3 minutes to play. Wendell Green Jr. scored his only points when he hit a pull-up jumper with 1:43 to go then Audige answered with a layup to give the Wildcats a 1-point lead 24 seconds later. After Robbie Beran stole a pass from Auburn's Johni Broome, Green created a Northwestern turnover that led to Flanigan's layup.

Johnson contested a potential winning jumper by Audige in the closing seconds that bounced off the backboard, deflected off Beran and was finally secured by Green.

Audige led Northwestern with 10 points, 3 blocks and 2 steals. The Wildcats shot 4 of 24 (16.7%) in the first half and finished shooting 25% (14 of 56) from the field and 2 of 24 (8.3%) from 3-point range.

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