AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn Tigers (18-1, 6-0) survived a low-scoring rock fight against the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers (17-3, 4-3) Saturday night at Neville Arena, winning 53-51in Johni Broome's return.
In his first game back since an ankle injury he sustained Jan. 11 versus South Carolina, Tigers forward Johni Broome lengthened his Wooden Award résumé with a 16-point, 13-rebound triple double. In a game where points were at a premium, Broome’s 16 felt like 30.
Both teams came out of the gate slow, scoring a combined six points in the first five minutes of action. That pace would set the tone for the entire game. Head Coaches Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes have long been known for their excellent defenses, and tonight, as many recent chapters in the Tigers versus Volunteers saga have been, was no different. Both teams shot just 31 percent from the field and in the teens from beyond the arc.
Auburn started the second half with a 22-20 lead, and for more than half of that period, it remained a one-score game. No team led by more than six at any point throughout the game.
After the game, Tigers coach Bruce Pearl described it as a “battle of attrition,” applauding Tennessee’s defense.
“Those are some of the best guards we’re going to face,” Pearl said. “Those guys don’t take possessions off defensively. Catches were difficult. Shots were contested. They turned us over 11 times.”
The Volunteers’ defense held Auburn to more than 30 points below their average scoring output, and forced them to shoot just 15 percent from three, a stark drop off from their season average of 38 percent.
Auburn, however, answered the call with excellent defense of their own. Johni Broome led the way with four blocks, as Tennessee felt his inside presence alongside Chaney Johnson and Dylan Cardwell. The Tigers held Tennessee to just 24 points in the paint and forced 12 turnovers leading to eight points on the other end.
“We thought Chaney [Johnson] had a real inside advantage,” Pearl said after the game. Johnson’s 10 points and outstanding defensive play played a massive role in the Tigers’ win.
Tennessee star point guard Zakai Zeigler led the Vols with 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, a game Pearl described as “incredible.” Broome spoke about the struggles of guarding Zeigler, especially his quickness.
Broome and Tigers’ guard Miles Kelly talked after the game about the impact Neville Arena and The Jungle have on games like this.
“I mean, the atmosphere was crazy,” Kelly said. “Auburn has the number one fanbase in the country.”
That impact was certainly felt, and nobody was on the receiving end of a louder roar than Kelly himself. Neville Arena erupted following his go-ahead three-pointer to put the Tigers up 52-51 with 30 seconds to play. That shot and a Tahaad Pettiford free throw would prove to be the difference, as Zeigler’s triple on Tennessee’s last offensive trip was no good.
“We’ve won some close games now,” Pearl told the media. “I think we can learn something from them… Our guys are feeling good, knowing that we can play better, and we were still able to beat a good team.”
The win should cement Auburn as the AP number one for another week. In that time, the Tigers take a trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU Wednesday before returning home Saturday for a matchup with Oklahoma.
