MOBILE, Ala. (AP) Coach Bruce Pearl has worked wonders as Auburn’s basketball coach, leading the Tigers to their first Final Four last season.

Now, he’s trying to do the same for the entire state of Alabama. Tuesday night at Mobile’s Mitchell Center went a long way toward accomplishing that.

Freshman Isaac Okoro made a layup with 2.9 seconds left to lift the No. 22 Tigers to a 70-69 victory over South Alabama in front of 10,068 enthusiastic fans - the most ever to see a game in the arena located about 230 miles southwest of Auburn’s campus.