No. 8 Tennessee pulls away, holds off No. 3 Auburn in SEC semis

NCAA Basketball: SEC Conference Tournament Quarterfinal - Mississippi vs AuburnMar 14, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl yells to his team against the Mississippi Rebels during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Zakai Zeigler scored 20 points, Jordan Gainey had 15 and No. 8 Tennessee held off No. 3 Auburn 70-65 in the first semifinal game of the SEC tournament Saturday afternoon in Nashville.

Chaz Lanier added 12 points for the fourth-seeded Volunteers (27-6), who will play either No. 4-ranked Florida or No. 5 Alabama in the championship game Sunday afternoon.

Johni Broome had 23 points for the top-seeded Tigers (28-5), Miles Kelly contributed 13 and Denver Jones scored 10.

The lead changed hands four times at the outset of the second half before Jones made two free throws and Broome added a basket from the lane to give Auburn a 41-36 lead. Gainey then accounted for seven points during a 9-2 spurt to give Tennessee a 45-43 lead.

The Tigers and Volunteers went back and forth from there, with the lead changing another four times before Lanier’s jumper completed an 8-0 run that gave the Volunteers a 55-48 advantage.

Dylan Cardwell made a free throw to stop the run, but Tennessee expanded the lead to 62-50 as Auburn went more than five minutes without making a field goal.

The Tigers, though, scored 10 straight to get within two points with just over four minutes remaining before Cade Phillips’ basket ended Tennessee’s field-goal drought of nearly four minutes.

The Tigers got within three twice, but Chad Baker-Mazara missed a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left. The Volunteers’ Jahmai Mashack made two free throws to seal the upset.

The score was tied twice and the lead changed hands five times early on before Igor Milicic Jr. made a layup to give Tennessee a 13-10 lead. Auburn got within one point on three occasions before Zeigler made a layup and Lanier hit a jumper for a 22-17 lead.

Zeigler’s layup pushed the lead to seven before Broome scored six points during a 10-0 run that gave the Tigers a 29-26 lead. Darlinstone Dubar’s layup ended a 5½-minute scoring drought for the Volunteers and Milicic’s jumper gave them a one-point lead.

That was the first of four lead changes down the stretch, the last of which came when Jones made two free throws to give Auburn a 33-32 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

Related Posts

After shootout loss, Knights have quick turnaround at Wings

Mar 14, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen (27) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit:…

Read more

No. 4 Florida looks to continue run in SEC final vs. No. 8 Tennessee

Mar 15, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) reacts after a made three point basket against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at…

Read more

NHL roundup: Alex Ovechkin scores as Caps sink Sharks

Mar 15, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) scores career goal 887 past San Jose Sharks goaltender Georgi Romanov (31) and celebrates with Washington…

Read more

Top 25 tournament roundup: No. 22 Michigan stuns No. 11 Maryland

The Michigan Wolverines celebrate after Michigan Wolverines guard Tre Donaldson (3) scored the game-winning layup Saturday, March 15, 2025, in a semifinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s…

Read more

Canucks’ win streak vs. Blackhawks reaches 10

Mar 15, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) checks Chicago Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teravainen (86) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob…

Read more

No. 18 Wisconsin holds off No. 7 Michigan State

Mar 15, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje (9) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse….

Read more

Leave a Reply