Auburn remains unbeaten in SEC play after narrowly escaping against the eighth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers last weekend. The Tigers will continue to be tested with road matchups at Ole Miss and LSU this week. Here’s a look back at the win over Tennessee and a look ahead to this week’s games.
Auburn 53, Tennessee 51
A defensive slugfest in Neville Arena saw the Auburn come from behind late to hold off Tennessee.
Down two points, Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly hit a three-pointer to put the Tigers up one with just over thirty seconds to play. The Volunteers missed an opportunity to tie or take the lead with nine seconds left as Auburn went on to secure the victory.
Both teams matched each other on the defensive side of the ball. The Volunteers shot just 31% from the field and 18% from beyond the arc. Auburn shot 30% from the field and 15% from three.
“We can play better, and we still were able to beat a great team,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “We’ve won four of the last six games in the last possession. It’s going to be a battle every night, but we are happy with this one because that’s a great team.”
One of the big stories of the night was the return of Johni Broome who had been out with a low ankle sprain. Broome returned in a big way with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks.
“It felt amazing to compete with my brothers and be back on the court with them.” said Broome. “I always want to be out there to help them win, help them grind it out. It was a rough one but we got it done.”
The Tigers extended their home winning streak over the Vols to five games. They have also won eight of the last eleven games in the series.
Looking Ahead
Auburn heads to Baton Rouge on January 29th to face the LSU Tigers. If you’re looking to go last minute, the tickets are some of the cheapest you’ll find the rest of the season. Some tickets are selling as cheap as nine dollars.
LSU is currently on a two-game losing streak after dropping games against Texas A&M and Alabama.
Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT with coverage on SEC Network.
Over the weekend, Auburn faces another tough test at 23rd ranked Ole Miss Saturday. The. Rebels have a tough home court environment and have caused trouble for the Tigers in the past.
Tip-off for that game is at 1:00 p.m. CT with coverage on ESPN.
