At halftime, Auburn found itself in an unexpected dogfight. Michigan—against all odds—was matching the Tigers blow for blow, locked in a 30-29 slugfest. Freshman Tahaad Pettiford had already found his groove, but Auburn needed more than just flashes. They needed a takeover.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Down by nine in the second half, the Tigers flipped the switch and flipped the script, torching Michigan 78-65 in the Sweet 16. A 39-17 avalanche in the final 12 minutes sent Auburn storming into the Elite Eight for just the third time in program history. Pettiford and senior Denver Jones delivered 20 points each, while Johni Broome’s 22-point, 16-rebound masterclass kept the foundation strong.
But it was Pettiford’s electric second-half takeover that had everyone talking—especially about his NBA future. Kevin O’Connor fanned the flames, posting on X: “Tahaad Pettiford is 14th on my big board. Probably too low.” Given his clutch shot-making and fearless execution, it was hard to disagree.
Fans didn’t hold back either. One declared, “Tahaad is a top 10 draft pick!!!”
And after that performance, they just might be right.
More to follow….
The post Auburn Overturns Tables Against Michigan as NCAA World Delivers Strong Verdict on Tahaad Pettiford’s NBA Draft Future appeared first on EssentiallySports.
