MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Christian Brothers University men's basketball put together one of its most complete performances of the season Thursday night, riding a balanced offensive attack and tenacious defense to a decisive 91-68 victory over Auburn Montgomery at Canale Arena.

First Half: Christian Brothers Gains Control Late

The opening minutes saw AUM jumping out to an early 9-2 lead just three minutes in. The Warhawks capitalized on strong ball movement, with Malachi Rhodes knocking down a mid-range jumper to set the tone. AUM's largest lead came at the 17:01 mark when Talib Ferrette converted a second-chance layup to put the visitors up 9-2.

Christian Brothers quickly responded with an 8-0 run, fueled by a six-point scoring streak from Iman Kheirati. Kyler Mann's second-chance layup capped the run and put the Bucs up by one, 14-13, with 12:49 remaining in the half. The Bucs began to establish their presence in the paint, as Kheirati and Mann grabbed multiple rebounds on both ends of the court.

With the game knotted at 23-23 midway through the period, CBU found its offensive rhythm. A three-pointer by Nmeso Nnebedum, followed by a fast-break layup from Allen Lattimore, sparked a 9-0 run that pushed the Bucs ahead 32-23 at the 4:40 mark.

AUM momentarily stopped the bleeding with four consecutive free throws made, but Christian Brothers closed the half strong, utilizing an 11-2 run in the final three minutes. Kirisome buried a three-pointer off a turnover, and Kheirati converted an and-one putback to give CBU a 43-28 advantage with under a minute to go. The last five points of the half were scored by AUM to cut CBU's lead to 10 points, 43-33, at the break.

The Bucs shot a blistering 51.4 percent from the field in the first half while holding AUM to just 33.3 percent. Christian Brothers dominated inside, outscoring AUM 24-10 in the paint before halftime.

Second Half: Bucs Pull Away with Relentless Shooting

AUM came out of halftime with renewed energy, cutting the deficit to eight after a quick layup from Ferrette and again with free throws by Rhodes. However, Christian Brothers never let the Warhawks gain any true momentum.

AUM managed to claw back within four points at 61-57 after a transition three from Whitney, but CBU immediately answered with a game-breaking 13-0 run. Kirisome continued his offensive explosion, drilling back-to-back three-pointers at the 11:04 and 10:40 marks to extend the Bucs' lead to 10, 67-57. Mann sank a pair of free throws at the end of the run to extend Christian Brothers' lead to 15, 72-57, with 8:13 showing on the clock.

CBU maintained a double-digit advantage for the final eight minutes, with Kirisome pouring in his final points on a pair of free throws at the 1:22 mark to reach his game-high 32 points.

Christian Brothers shot a scorching 51.7 percent in the second half, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. 

Statistical Standouts

• Tane Kirisome: Career-high 32 points (11-16 FG, 6-8 3PT), 4 assists
• Kyler Mann: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks
• Iman Kheirati: 14 points, 13 rebounds

Key Factors in CBU's Win:

• Dominance in the Paint: Christian Brothers outscored AUM 40-18 in the paint, controlling the boards and winning second-chance opportunities.
• Efficient Shooting: CBU shot 51.6 percent for the game, including 52.6 percent from three, while AUM struggled at 35.6 percent overall.

The victory moves Christian Brothers to 9-12 on the season (5-10 GSC), while AUM drops to 9-12 (6-10 GSC). The Bucs will look to carry their momentum into their next game against Montevallo (14-8, 10-6 GSC) on Saturday.