The Bodda Getta

AUBURN - Down by 12 points in the first half and without two top offensive threats, Auburn's basketball team roared back Wednesday night at Auburn Arena to defeat Florida State 78-72

The Tigers go into next Wednesday's SEC opener here against LSU with momentum. Florida State saw a four-game winning streak come to an end.

With Chris Denson and Jordan Dennis out with tressfractures, Frankie Sullivan scored 23 points and Allen Payne 16 as the Tigers improved to 6-7. Florida State, the defending ACC champion, fell to 8-5. Story to come.

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Greetings from Auburn Arena, where a suddenly short-handed Auburn basketball team's game against Florida State. Without Chris Denson and without Jordan Price, it's going to be interesting to see who can help Frankie Sullivan carry the scoring load.

Senior Josh Wallace has taken Denson's spot in the starting lineup. He'll be at point guard and Sullivan at shooting guard.

FIRST HALF

* Sullivan hits a 3 and Auburn trails 4-3 with 17:50 left.

* Sullivan's 3-point play, including his 18th consecutive made free throw, gives Auburn a 6-4 lead with 16:15 left.

* Shaq Johnson skies for a putback and it's 8-7, Auburn, at the first media timeout with 15:22 left.

* FSU on an 8-2 run and leads 15-10 with 13:42 left.

* Gus Malzahn and his wife, Kristi, are taking in the game.

* Florida State hits a 3 and it's 18-10 with 13:24 left. Auburn coach Tony Barbee calls timeout. Other than Sullivan, the Tigers seem to have no answers on offense.

* Another 3-pointer, wide-open, and it's 21-10, Florida State with 12 minutes left.

* It's still 21-10 at the media timeout with 11:37 left. Sullivan will be at the line trying to increase his streak of made free throws.

* Sullivan hits them both. It's 21-12.

* Allen Payne hits two free throws. It's 21-14 with 11:04 left.

* Brian Greene Jr. slams home a dunk on a breakaway and Florida State leads 26-16 at the media timeout with 7:00 left.

* Chubb on a putback and it's 26-20 with 6:14 left.

* Sullivan goes coast to coast and it's 26-22.

* Auburn comes up empty on back to back trips. Florida State goes up 28-22 with 4:15 left.

* Florida goes on a 5-0 run and, just like that, it's 33-25 with 2:35 left.

* Payne answers with a jumper and it's 33-27 with 2:00 left.

* Sullivan cans a 3 and it's 33-30 with 1:26 left.

* FSU hits a 3 and Shaq Johnson hits one free throw and tips in his own miss to make it 36-33.

* Johnson slams home a dunk at the buzzer and it's 36-35 at halftime. Heck of a comeback by the Tigers.

SECOND HALF

* Chubb slams home a dunk and it's 40-40 with 18:30 left.

* A Chubb layup gives Auburn a 4240 lead with 7:58 left.

* A Shaq Johnson 3 makes it 45-40.

* Auburn leads 47-42 with 15:56 left. Chubb at the line coming out of the media timeout.

* Chubb hits one and then there is a lane violation. Auburn leads 48-42.

* Payne, having a heck of a game, hits two free throws and Auburn is up 50-44 with 14:35 left.

* Noel Johnson hits a 3 and it's 53-46.

* Chubb back at the line with 12:29 left. He hits one and Auburn leads 54.46.

* Auburn leads 54-48 and has the ball coming out of the media timeout with 11:36 left.

* Payne makes one of two free throws. It's 55-48 with 11:16 left.

* Wallace gets a steal and is fouled with 10:33 left. One-and-one. He makes both. Auburn up 57-48.

* A Florida State three-point play makes it 57-51.

* It's still 57-51 with 8:32 left. Timeout. Auburn will have the ball coming out.

* A Shaq Johnson jumper makes it 59-51. Media timeout with 7:57 left.

* A Noel Johnson 3 makes it 62-61 with 7:25 left.

* Florida State answers with a layup and it's 62-53.

* FSU cutsit to 62-55 on an alley-opp.

* Noel Johnson hits a putback and it's 64-55 with 5:11 left.

* Dixon-Tatum at the line for one-and-one. He misses.

* Timeout with 3:36 left. FSu ball coming out. Auburn leads 64-55.

* FSU cuts it to 64-57 with 2:59 left.

* Tatum on a putback and its 66-57 with 2:15 left.

* Wallace going to the line with 2:01 left. FSU is fouling now.

* Wallace hits two and it's 68-57.

* Two FSU free throws make it 68-59 with 1:49 left.

* Payne goes to the line with 1:48 left for two shots. He misses both but Chubb rebounds.

* Payne back at the line with 1:31 left. He makes one this time and its 69-59.