Miles Kelly hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds left and Johni Broome had 16 points and 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup as No. 1 Auburn extended its winning streak to 11 games with a 53-51 victory over No. 1. 6 Tennessee Saturday night.
Auburn (18-1, 6-0 SEC) was held to its lowest point total of the season by Tennessee’s physical defense. Kelly’s 3-pointer off a pass from Broome turned a two-point deficit into a one-point lead.
Tennessee had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but a 3-point try by the Vols’ Zakai Zeigler missed the target.
Broome, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and Associated Press preseason All-American, back in action for the first time since suffering what coach Bruce Pearl called it a “significant sprain” in his left ankle two weeks ago. in a road win at South Carolina, got crucial defensive rebounds on Tennessee’s final two possessions.
Zeigler had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the Volunteers (17-3, 4-3). Chaz Lanier added 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the second half.
Both teams shot under 32% from the field in the physical and defensive battle.
Takeaways
Tennessee: The Volunteers struggled with their outside shooting in SEC play, and that continued in their third conference road loss.
Auburn: Even at less than 100%, Broome showed how valuable he is to the Tigers’ offense with his stellar performance.
Key moment
Kelly’s three points, combined with Broome’s defensive stops, were enough for Auburn to remain the only undefeated team in SEC play.
Key statistic
Aided by Broome’s return to the lineup, Auburn cruised past Tennessee 41-37.
To be continued
Tennessee will host No. 9 Kentucky on Tuesday. Auburn travels to LSU on Wednesday.
