KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In what was a defensive battle Saturday, No. 25 Auburn had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Wendell Green Jr.'s 3-pointer rimmed out. The Tigers could not quite pull the upset at No. 2 Tennessee, falling 46-43.
"The most disappointing loss of the year," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We had a chance to beat the No. 2 team in the country.
"The kids did an incredible job defensively. I can't compliment our kids enough for the way they locked into the scouting report. The effort and the energy, the tough, the fight – I'm very proud of my team. But I've got to do a better job of helping them get better looks at the end."
The defense was as advertised between two of the top defensive teams in the SEC as neither team shot better than 30 percent from the field.
"Tennessee is arguably the best defensive team in the country, and they played like it," Pearl said. "They did all the things that you need to do to win on the defensive end."
Auburn's defense rose to the challenge as well, holding Tennessee to 27 percent shooting (17-of-63) and just 10 percent from deep (2-of-21). The Volunteers missed their first seven shots of the game as the Tigers jumped out to an early 10-2 lead.
Broome scored six of those first 10 points and led Auburn in points (11), rebounds (9) and blocks (3). The sophomore has now scored in double figures in five straight games.
Junior K.D. Johnson also scored in double figures, providing 10 points off the bench against the Volunteers. Johnson made a couple of critical baskets in the second half to keep Auburn within striking distance. He's scored 10 or more points in each of his last three games.
"K.D. is a great athlete," Pearl said. "When you're playing the best teams on your schedule, you need his athleticism and his experience. His effort and his attitude have been really consistent. He's really trying. That's great at this time of the year. He's definitely turning it on."
It was a tight contest the whole way. Tennessee led 23-19 at the half.
Trailing by six in the final minute, Auburn never gave in. Green knocked down a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to cut the lead in half, Then, after Broome forced a turnover, Jaylin Williams converted a lay-up to make it a 1-point game. The Vols responded with a pair of free throws, setting up the final 3-point attempt from Green.
Green and Allen Flanigan each scored nine points for the Tigers and put in work on the glass. Flanigan pulled down eight rebounds while Green had seven. Williams matched Broome with a team-high nine rebounds.
Auburn was without center Dylan Cardwell who missed the game with an illness.
Tennessee's Josiah-Jordan James led all scorers with 15 points. No other Tennessee player scored more than 10, and the Vols' top scorers Santiago Vescovi (7) and Zakai Ziegler (3) combined for 10 points on 2-of-19 shooting.
It will be a quick turnaround for Auburn who travels to Texas A&M for another road game Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT in College Station.
