AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge, fueled by a blistering offensive display from Kevin Overton and a stifling defensive effort, propelled the Auburn Tigers to a 78-67 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Auburn Arena.

The game, played before a crowd of 2,169, was a tale of two halves. South Alabama, the visiting team, controlled the opening period behind the stellar play of guard Chaze Harris and took a 36-30 lead into halftime. The Jaguars’ defense disrupted Auburn’s rhythm, forcing difficult shots and building a lead that stretched to as many as nine points in the first half.

Harris, a 6-foot-6 junior from Cleveland, Ohio, was the engine for South Alabama, scoring 15 of his game-high 29 points before the break. His combination of driving layups and mid-range jumpers kept the Tigers off balance. He finished with 29 points and six assists in 38 minutes.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Auburn. The Tigers emerged from the locker room with renewed defensive intensity and an immediate scoring punch. They opened the half on a 15-5 run, erasing the deficit and taking a lead they would not relinquish. The turnaround was swift and decisive, transforming a competitive matchup into a comfortable home victory.

The most important part of the game was Auburn’s complete transformation after halftime, specifically a 10-minute stretch where they outscored South Alabama 31-11 to turn a six-point deficit into a 14-point lead. This run was characterized by lockdown defense that generated turnovers and rushed shots, which Auburn then converted into efficient offense in transition. South Alabama, which had shot confidently in the first half, went cold and could not find an answer for Auburn’s adjusted pressure.

Kevin Overton, a 6-foot-5 guard from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was the catalyst for the Tigers’ explosion. After a quiet first half, he caught fire from beyond the arc, connecting on five three-pointers in the second period. He finished with 21 points, all but two coming after halftime, and added four assists. His backcourt mate, Kaden Magwood, provided a critical spark off the bench, scoring all 14 of his points in the second half, including three three-pointers during the decisive run.

Auburn’s frontcourt also delivered a key performance. Keyshawn Hall, a 6-foot-7 forward from Cleveland, Ohio, recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while also contributing two blocks. His physical presence inside complemented the perimeter shooting of Overton and Magwood.

Despite the loss, South Alabama had strong performances beyond Harris. Stephen Williams, a 6-foot-9 forward from Atmore, Alabama, scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while guard Jayden Cooper, from Pike Road, Alabama, also added 14 points. The Jaguars’ offense, however, stagnated against Auburn’s heightened defensive pressure in the final 20 minutes, managing only 31 points after the break.

Auburn improved its season record to 18-16 with the victory. South Alabama fell to 21-11. The Tigers shot 48 percent from the field in the second half, a marked improvement from their first-half struggles, and their defensive adjustments limited South Alabama to 37 percent shooting after halftime.

The game concluded Auburn’s regular season, while South Alabama will look to regroup before its conference tournament. The Tigers’ second-half performance served as a potent reminder of their capabilities when their offense and defense operate in unison, overwhelming a South Alabama team that had entered the contest with momentum from a successful season.