Four days after topping then-No. 4 Houston on the road, No. 5 Auburn let much of a 22-point first-half lead against Kent State slip away Wednesday night before emerging with a 79-56 home win.Johni Broome, selected the SEC Player of the Week on Monday, and Chaney Johnson each scored 18 points to lead the Tigers (3-0). Johnson’s night included 12 rebounds plus a dunk that increased the Tigers’ lead to 36-22 entering halftime.Auburn’s Denver Jones and Chad Baker-Mazara tallied 12 points apiece.Kent State (2-1) was carried by forward VonCameron Davis’ 19 points but struggled from beyond the 3-point arc. The Golden Flashes went 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) from long distance.Davis finished 6-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-6 from 3-point range. Teammate Jalen Sullinger added 16 points.Kent State trailed 30-8 with 7:10 to go in the first half after an 8-0 Tigers surge that featured three fastbreak baskets.The Golden Flashes scored the next 12 points, capped by a Sullinger layup, to get within 30-20 with 2:15 remaining in the half.Johnson produced two baskets late in the half to help give the Tigers a 36-22 advantage entering intermission.