Miles Kelly hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds left and of John Broome Had 16 points and 13 rebounds while returning to the lineup. No. 1 Auburn extended its winning streak to 11 games with a 53-51 victory over No. 6 Tennessee on 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 feed 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 the Vols’ 3-point attempt Jakai Ziegler miss the mark
Broom, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American — returned to action for the first time since suffering what coach Bruce Pearl described as “.Significant sprains” on his left ankle two weeks ago in a road win at South Carolina — securing key defensive rebounds in 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 in the second half, including a pair of clutch 3-pointers.
Both teams shot less than 32% from the field in a physical, defensive battle.
Takeaways
Tennessee: The Volunteers have struggled with their shooting away from home in SEC play and that continued in their third conference road loss.
Auburn: Even less than 100%, Broome showed how valuable he is to the Tigers’ offense with his standout performance.
key moment
Kelly’s 3-pointer, combined with Broome’s defensive stop, was enough to keep Auburn the only undefeated team in SEC play.
Key statistics
With Broome back in the lineup, Auburn outshot Tennessee 41-37.
Next up
Tennessee hosts No. 9 Kentucky on Tuesday. Auburn travels to LSU on Wednesday.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
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