NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The top-seeded Auburn Tigers took down the eighth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels 62-57 Friday in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal round. The win marked the first for the Tigers in nearly two weeks.
It was a long day for both offenses, as both teams combined to shoot 43-104 from the floor and just 10-44 from three. It was Denver Jones doing most of the heavy lifting for Auburn early, and his 10 points led all scorers at halftime.
Out of the break, Auburn’s Miles Kelly and Johni Broome got the offense rolling again, but nothing came easy. Ole Miss star guard Sean Pedulla kept the Rebels’ hopes alive in the second half, scoring 10 points, all in pivotal moments.
Auburn’s National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome continued his stellar season with yet another double-double, scoring 23 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. His basket with 11 seconds to play stretched Auburn’s lead to five and all but secured the win.
Tigers’ wing Chad Baker-Mazara had a slower day scoring, but his six assists led all players. Baker-Mazara threw down a breakaway dunk and completed the and-one opportunity late to help seal the victory.
Chris Moore got the start for the Tigers today, just his fourth of the year. The Tigers’ fifth-year senior talked about what it means to be called on in the big moments, saying, “I’ve seen a lot of teams. I’ve been playing against a lot of great players… knowing that they can turst me down the stretch to get stops or get a bucket, or, you know, just be out there and be a leader.”
Tigers’ freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford played 18 minutes in his college post-season debut. He talked after the game about the ease of playing alongside Johni Broome, stating, “[We] gave him the ball and let him do what he does.” Adding on, Pettiford said, “Having guys like them [seniors], you know, it’s amazing. You can learn from them, from anything, off the court, on the court. I just try to take what I can from them and enjoy my time here.”
Broome’s 23-point, 15-assist double-double marks his first in five games, going back to Feb. 22 in a win over Georgia. His performance is key for the Tigers down the stretch. Broome has shot below 50 percent in three of Auburn’s four losses this season. Today, he was 8-14 from the field and, more importantly, 7-10 from the free throw line.
The win punches Auburn’s ticket to the SEC Tournament semifinal, where they will meet the winner of Friday afternoon’s game between Texas and Tennessee. The semifinal matchup will be at noon Saturday on ESPN and the Auburn Sports Network.
