In a thrilling showdown in Knoxville, the Tennessee Volunteers orchestrated a remarkable comeback to defeat Auburn 72-62, securing their spot in the SEC Quarterfinals. They'll face off against in-state rivals Vanderbilt next.
Nate Ament was the star of the night, dropping a team-high 27 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Ja’Kobi Gillespie also contributed significantly with 13 points.
The game had its ups and downs, with Ament making an immediate impact after returning from injury, scoring Tennessee’s first five points. However, early foul trouble for Gillespie and a scoring drought saw Tennessee trailing 18-11 midway through the first half.
Despite some early struggles, Tennessee began to claw back. After a timeout, they cut the deficit to 18-15, but Auburn responded, extending their lead to 29-18 before halftime. The Volunteers managed to trim it to 32-25 by the break, thanks to some clutch free throws from Jaylen Carey.
Entering the second half, Tennessee appeared more focused, trading baskets with Auburn and narrowing the gap to six points. Yet, Auburn maintained momentum, leading 49-39 with just over 11 minutes to play, largely thanks to Tahaad Pettiford’s 23-point performance.
Then, the Volunteers found their spark. Ament took control, scoring 10 consecutive points, while Gillespie’s fastbreak layup tied the game at 51-51. From there, Tennessee went on a blistering 19-0 run, capitalizing on Auburn’s six-minute scoring drought.
With Ament leading the charge, Tennessee surged ahead 60-51, and they never looked back. The Volunteers’ resilience and timely scoring runs proved decisive, earning them a hard-fought victory and a chance to continue their tournament journey against Vanderbilt.