Auburn Hosts Game Two of Cancun Challenge on Thursday

Horace Spencer goes for a dunk in Monday's game against Georgia State (Photo: Auburn Athletics/Dakota Sumpter)

Auburn Men’s Basketball (2-0) will play their second of four games in the Cancun Challenge on Thursday night when they welcome in the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky University to Auburn Arena. Auburn begins the season with a 2-0 record, a feat that has not been accomplished since the 2011-12 season. In their last game, redshirt freshman Danjel Purifoy scored 17 points in the second half to lead Auburn past Georgia State, 83-66. Freshman Jared Harper also dropped 19 points, while another freshman in Mustapha Heron led in rebounds with 8. Eastern Kentucky (1-1) has three players who average double-digit outings. It all starts with forward Nick Mayo, who averages 22 points per game, and 7 rebounds. Guard’s Asante Grist and Isaac McGlone also average at least 10 points per game. Grist averages 18, while McGlone averages 12. Forward Zach Charles contributes highly as well, as he has averaged 10 rebounds through two games. The Colonels scored 39 points in the second half of their game with UNC-Wilmington, to send the game to overtime. Despite entering the period with momentum, Wilmington outscored Eastern Kentucky 15-6 en route to a 78-69 win. Mayo scored 20 in the loss. Auburn men’s basketball hosts Eastern Kentucky on Thursday at 8 P.M. inside Auburn Arena.