Boom, and just like that, the Vols are moving on in the SEC Tournament. The win over Auburn didn't come easy, but the Vols looked in and got it done when needed. This was Auburn's last chance to show the committee that they belong in the Big Dance, but their resume may not be enough. Credit to Rick Barnes for keeping this team poised during a big matchup.
Tahaad Pettiford said some things before the game and issued a warning to Tennessee for their "disrespect" after their last contest. This built up some tension before the matchup, but the Vols thrived. Jaylen Carey picked up a technical foul for throwing the ball after a made shot. Felix Okpara got into it with Auburn's KeShawn Murphy. It was a chippy contest, and Auburn wanted to get into a physical contest, which isn't something that teams can do often against the Vols.
How Tennessee was able to take care of Auburn
In the first half, Nate Ament got going early, scoring five points right off the tip. However, Tennessee got into trouble when Ja'Kobi Gillespie picked up two early fouls. Both were unnecessary, and when he was out of the game, the Vols became stagnant on offense. Auburn took advantage of the minutes when Gillespie was off the floor, going on a 13-0 run. The Vols found themselves down 32-25 at the half.
To make matters more intriguing, Tennessee was down 51-41 until Nate Ament scored eight straight points to get the Vols back in the game. The momentum didn’t stop there, as Gillespie tied it with 7:31 left after a massive block by Felix Okpara, leading to a transition bucket for Gillespie. The Vols parlayed this into a 20-0 run and ended up taking home the win.
Auburn did a great job early on the glass and forced the Vols into difficult half-court possessions. However, down the stretch, Tennessee locked in and started to get much grittier down low. They rebounded far better and avoided the empty possessions that hurt them earlier in the game. For Tennessee, the win proves that this team is tough and will never back down from a challenge. For Auburn, well, Selection Sunday just got a lot more anxious for Steven Pearl and his team.