Auburn and UNC Set for Maui Invitational Semifinal After Thrilling Comebacks

Auburn rallied from an 18-point deficit while UNC overcame a 21-point second-half gap to secure their spots in the semifinal.

No. 4 Auburn defeated No. 5 Iowa State 83-81 in a dramatic comeback, capped by Johni Broome's game-winning tip-in with one second remaining.
Auburn's victory marked its second top-five win this season, following a win over No. 4 Houston, making them the first team since 1990 to start 5-0 with two top-five victories.
Johni Broome led Auburn with 21 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his streak of double-doubles, while four other Tigers scored in double figures.
No. 12 North Carolina advanced by rallying from a 21-point second-half deficit to defeat Dayton 92-90, with RJ Davis and Seth Trimble combining for 57 points.
The semifinal matchup will test UNC's ability to avoid early deficits and Auburn's balanced scoring and strong defensive adjustments.