Sasser, Houston moving on at March Madness, beating Auburn
Houston guard Marcus Sasser reacts after a basket against Auburn in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Butch Dill]
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Marcus Sasser looked just fine, scoring 22 points, and top-seeded Houston stifled local favorite Auburn in the second half for an 81-64 victory in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars overcame a 10-point halftime deficit, playing with the desperation of a national championship contender that wasn’t ready to suffer the same fate as No. 1s Purdue and Kansas. Houston was led by Tramon Mark with 26 points, while Jaylin Williams and Johni Broome scored 14 apiece for Auburn. Houston advances to face either No. 4 Indiana or No. 5 Miami at the Sweet 16 in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Houston guard Marcus Sasser (0) shoots over Auburn guard Allen Flanigan (22) in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Rogelio V. Solis
Auburn guard Wendell Green Jr. (1) drives to the basket as Houston guard Marcus Sasser (0) defends in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Butch Dill
Houston guard Marcus Sasser (0) reacts as his team defeats Auburn in a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Rogelio V. Solis