Resilient Tigers Rally Late to Down Texas, Extend Win Streak to Four
Down but never out - that’s become a bit of a theme for this Auburn squad. On Wednesday night inside a raucous Neville Arena, the Tigers once again proved they’ve got the grit to hang tough and the firepower to close strong. Despite trailing for much of the night, Auburn clawed back to knock off Texas 88-82, notching their fourth straight win and improving to 14-7 overall, 5-3 in SEC play.
This one didn’t come easy. Auburn looked out of sync early, struggling to find rhythm on either end while the Longhorns came out with pace and confidence.
Texas built an early lead and held it for most of the first half - and well into the second. With just under 15 minutes left, the Tigers found themselves staring at an eight-point deficit and a Texas team that wasn’t flinching.
But then came the spark.
Kevin Overton buried a three that felt like more than just three points - it was a momentum-changer. The freshman wasn’t done either.
Moments later, he hit another from deep to pull Auburn within two. Elyjah Freeman followed with a smooth mid-range jumper to tie things up.
Even after Texas responded with a three of their own, the tide had turned. Auburn had found its gear.
The comeback was fueled by timely buckets and a collective surge in intensity. Keyshawn Hall led the charge offensively, finishing as Auburn’s top scorer on the night. KeShawn Murphy anchored the glass with a team-high five rebounds, and Tahaad Pettiford paced the Tigers with three assists, helping orchestrate the late-game push.
Auburn’s efficiency down the stretch was key. The Tigers shot 51% from the field (24-of-57), knocked down 52% of their threes (11-of-21), and made the most of their trips to the line, hitting 74% (29-of-39). That kind of balanced offensive output - especially in crunch time - is exactly what you want to see from a team trying to build momentum in conference play.
On the other side, Texas got a monster performance from Dailyn Swain, who poured in 30 points while also leading the Longhorns in rebounds (7) and assists (4). The Longhorns were efficient themselves, shooting 52% from the floor and 46% from three. But when it mattered most, Auburn’s defense tightened up just enough, and the offense delivered.
Now riding a four-game win streak, Auburn heads into a big road test this Saturday against Tennessee. The Volunteers (14-6, 4-3 SEC) present another tough SEC challenge, especially in Knoxville, where wins don’t come easy.
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
But if this game was any indication, Auburn’s not backing down from anyone. They’ve shown they can take a punch - and throw one right back.