Auburn basketball score vs. Iowa: Live updates from March Madness

For the second consecutive season, Auburn basketball is aiming to score a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers, the No. 9 seed in the Midwest Region, open their run in March Madness against No. 8-seeded Iowa on Thursday (5:50 p.m. CT, TNT). The Hawkeyes have lost four of their last six games, including a 73-69 loss to Ohio State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. Filip Rebraca, Kris Murray and Tony Perkins combined for 53 points, but four Buckeyes scored in double figures.

Auburn also lost narrowly in its conference tournament, falling to Arkansas, 76-73. K.D. Johnson led all scorers with 20, but the backcourt duo of Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr. did damage for the Razorbacks, dropping 33 points on 54.5% shooting.

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What time, channel is Auburn's basketball game vs. Iowa?

Time: 5:50 p.m. CT

Channel: TNT

Auburn basketball score vs. Iowa: Live updates

Second half

FINAL: Auburn 83, Iowa 75. A 52-point second half for the Tigers, who move on to face either Houston or Northern Kentucky on Saturday.

Six players in double figures, led by Johni Broome's 19 points.

1:17 left: Flanigan with a rebound retrieval and runout pass that ends in a Jaylin Williams dunk. Auburn by 10.

1:57 left: A bad turnover by Jaylin Williams and a basket cuts Auburn's lead to 6.

2:31 left: Broome with his 5th block. He's been the Auburn MVP today. Tigers lead 72-64.

Whomever knocks out Auburn in this tournament will have to neutralize Broome.

3:05 left: Johni Broome has been the guy for Auburn on the glass. He has 15 points and 12 rebounds.

3:53 left: Auburn 66, Iowa 62 at the final media timeout. Both teams in the 1-and-1.

4:56 left: Kris Murray dunks it in between two Tigers, and the Auburn lead is 4. Timeout. A 19-6 run for Iowa.

6:01 left: KD Johnson with his fourth foul. Iowa hits both free throws, and the Auburn lead is 64-58.

7:11 left: Back-to-back 3-pointers by Kris Murray. Auburn 64, Iowa 56.

8:25 left: Johni Broome blocks a layup that could have cut Auburn's lead to 8. A Tigers basket on the other end pushes it back to 12.

11:07 left: Tre Donaldson 3 AGAIN! Auburn leads by 15. This arena is loud.

12:21 left: Back-to-back 3-pointers good by Tre Donaldson. Auburn 51, Iowa 39. Tigers OK with a little back and forth. Timeout Iowa.

13:10 left: KD Johnson 3 is good. Then he commits his third foul seconds later.

Jaylin Williams also has 3 fouls.

13:50 left: Iowa starting to push the pace. Kris Murray with an open 3 goes down.

16:04 left: Johni Broome 3-pointer is good. Auburn 39, Iowa 29.

18:36 left: Connor McCaffery with Iowa's first made 3-pointer of the game.

First half

HALFTIME: Auburn 31, Iowa 26. Hawkeyes go 0-9 from 3. Tigers get a low-scoring half and take the lead into the locker room.

53.5 seconds left: KD Johnson goes tumbling over an Iowa player and lands with a thud on his backside. Johnson is up but doubled over.

1:21 left: This game certainly falls more in line with what Auburn wants. Tigers 29, Hawkeyes 24.

Nine of the 11 Tigers who have entered the game have scored.

2:45 left: Feels like Auburn needed to have a larger lead at this point with Iowa's shooting struggles.

Nice Green-to-Cardwell alley oop, but the Tigers lead is just 25-22.

8:00 left: Johni Broome putback and-1. Next possession, a Wendell Green 3. Auburn crowd roaring. Tigers by 9.

10:20 left: Auburn 14, Iowa 12. The Tigers are playing tight perimeter defense, and the Hawkeyes are 0-8 from 3. That rate probably won't last, but a good start for the Auburn defense.

15:26 left: Allen Flanigan with a strong drive and lay-in. Energy is up in Birmingham.

Auburn 8, Iowa 6 at the first media timeout.

19:31 left: Zep Jasper with a layup and a foul in the first 30 seconds.

20:00 left: An Auburn-friendly crowd in Birmingham. Let's do this.

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Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball score vs. Iowa: Live updates