Tigers of the Game: Williams, Green leads Auburn to win over Mississippi State
The No. 22 Auburn Tigers returned to Neville Arena on Saturday and put on a fine show for the rowdy crowd.
The Tigers shot 43.6% from the field in their 69-63 win over Mississippi State. Although Mississippi State stayed close at times, Auburn led for 38 of the games’ 40 minutes.
Three players reached double-figures in scoring. Jaylin Williams led the way with 21 points, followed by Wendell Green Jr.’s 17 point effort, and Allen Flanigan’s 10 points.
All three players played a key role in Auburn’s win, but two players served as bookends to help the Tigers win their third straight game. One player began the game by scoring 13 points, while the other closed the game by scoring 11.
Here is a look at who writers Taylor Jones, J.D. McCarthy, and River Wells chose as their “Tiger of the Game” following Auburn’s home win over Mississippi State on Saturday night.
Taylor Jones: Wendell Green Jr.
Jake Crandall/The Montgomery Advertiser
Green ended the game with 17 points, but his effort late in the game is what ultimately helped Auburn hold on to its lead. Green took over the game after Mississippi State trimmed Auburn’s lead to 57-53 with 2:34 remaining in the game. He would go on to score 11 of Auburn’s final 13 points over a two-and-a-half minute span to help Auburn secure the win. 14 of Green’s 17 points were scored in the second half.
J.D. McCarthy: Jaylin Williams
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Williams posted a season-high 21 points in Auburn’s win over Mississippi State. He was in control from the start, as he scored 13 of Auburn’s first 15 points of the game to set the tone.
River Wells: Jaylin Williams
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Williams’ offensive performance was the best of the night for Auburn, but his defensive efforts should not go unnoticed. He ended the game tied with Allen Flanigan with seven rebounds.
Fan vote: Jaylin Williams
Jake Crandall/ The Montgomery Advertiser
Jaylin Williams wins the fan vote for Tiger of the Game by taking 69% of the vote. Follow Auburn Wire on Twitter for your chance to vote for your top Tiger after every Auburn game. Check us out @TheAuburnWire.
Leaderboard
Jake Crandall/ The Montgomery Advertiser
Here is a look at how many Tigers have earned a “Tiger of the Game” vote this season:
Johni Broome | 17 |
Wendell Green Jr. | 11 |
Jaylin Williams | 11 |
Allen Flanigan | 4 |
K.D. Johnson | 2 |
Chris Moore | 2 |
Tre Donaldson | 1 |
