No. 20 Auburn needed overtime to avoid a stunning upset in Steven Pearl’s head-coaching debut on Monday, as the Tigers held off visiting Bethune-Cookman, 95-90.

With Auburn (1-0) leading 81-78, Elyjah Freeman fouled Bethune-Cookman’s Arterio Morris on a 3-point attempt with less than a second remaining in regulation. Morris made all three foul shots, part of his 20 points.

Morris also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Wildcats (0-1).

Ariel Bland’s tip-in to start the extra frame gave Bethune-Cookman the initial edge in overtime on a night that neither team led by more than six points at any juncture.

Auburn answered when Keyshawn Hall scored an and-one, part of his five consecutive points on the way to a game-high 28.

Hall bookended a pivotal 6-0 Tigers run with free throws, while Kevin Overton continued a clutch performance that began in regulation with his steal and layup.

Overton swiped three steals in the final minute of the second half and overtime, part of his four for the night. He scored on a tough, contested fadeaway after one of his steals to give Auburn a 77-75 lead then added a pair of free throws to extend the lead to four.

Overton was one of five Tigers to score in double-figures along with Keshawn Murphy, who shot 8-of-9 from the floor en route to 17 points off the bench. Sebastian Williams-Adams added another 15 points coming off the bench.

Tahaad Pettiford finished with 11 points despite shooting just 2-of-9 from 3-point range. The Tigers struggled as a team from long range, going 6-of-23.

Bethune-Cookman’s 12-of-22 3-point shooting, meanwhile, gave the Wildcats hope of scoring a monumental upset. Morris shot 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and Seneca Willoughby went 4-of-5 on the way to 12 points.

Daniel Rouzan did not make his only 3-point attempt, but he finished with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Wildcats.

–Field Level Media