Field Level Media
Mar 9, 2019
Sophomore forward Chuma Okeke scored 22 points and notched four steals to help host Auburn post an 84-80 victory over No. 5 Tennessee in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday.
Junior guard Jared Harper had 16 points and eight assists, and senior guard Bryce Brown also scored 16 points for the Tigers (22-9, 11-7 SEC).
Junior forward Grant Williams had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Volunteers (27-4, 15-3).
Junior guard Jordan Bone had 17 points and seven assists, junior guard Jamie Bowden scored 16 points and senior guard Admiral Schofield had 13 points for Tennessee.
The Volunteers failed to clinch a share of the SEC regular-season crown after No. 10 LSU routed Vanderbilt on Saturday night to claim the conference title. LSU clinched the No. 1 seed for next week's SEC Tournament with the Volunteers' loss to Auburn.
The score was tied before Harper drained back-to-back 3-pointers to give Auburn a 75-69 lead with 2:46 remaining. Schofield buried a 3-pointer 22 seconds later to cut the deficit in half, but junior guard Samir Doughty answered with a 3-pointer to restore the Tigers' six-point lead.
Williams hit two free throws with 57 seconds left to pull Tennessee within 78-74 before Harper made two free throws with 31.1 seconds left to push the margin back to six.
Williams made two free throws with 23.1 seconds remaining, and the Volunteers maintained possession due to a hook-and-hold call on Auburn junior forward Anfernee McLemore.
Tennessee took advantage with Williams scoring on a lob off the inbounds pass to move within two. But Harper made two free throws with 20.4 seconds left to give the Tigers an 82-78 advantage, and Doughty's two free throws with 5.4 seconds left sealed it.
Auburn shot 46.4 percent from the field and was 13 of 34 from 3-point range. The Tigers committed just five turnovers while forcing Tennessee into 13.
Tennessee shot 47.5 percent from the field, including 9 of 28 from 3-point range. The Volunteers had a 40-27 rebounding edge.
Bowden scored 12 points to help Tennessee hold a 41-35 halftime lead. Okeke had 13 for Auburn.
--Field Level Media