No. 8 Tennessee downs No. 3 Auburn 70-65 to reach SEC Tournament championship game
AP
Mar 15, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Zakai Zeigler scored 20 points as No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers held off regular-season champion and third-ranked Auburn Tigers 70-65 on Saturday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the first time since 2022.
The fourth-seeded Volunteers (27-6) got revenge both for their Jan. 25 loss at Auburn and their 2019 loss to the Tigers in this tournament's title game.
Tennessee will play fourth-ranked Florida, a 104-82 winner over No. 5 Alabama, on Sunday for the tournament title. The Vols and the winner of that semifinal likely wind up with No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament - only fitting for the nation’s best league.
Jordan Gainey added 15 points for the Vols, and Chaz Lanier had 12.
The Tigers (28-5) go home losers of three of their last four games.
SEC player of the year Johni Broome led Auburn with 23 points, Miles Kelly added 13 and Denver Jones had 10.
Auburn led 33-32 at halftime thanks to a late 10-0 spurt. The Tigers last led at 48-47.
Tennessee: The Vols are playing in their fourth final in the last seven tournaments. They won in Tampa in 2022 and lost the title game in both 2018 and 2019. They improved to 12-8 in this tournament under coach Rick Barnes, who got his 833rd career victory.
Auburn: The Tigers came in looking for a fourth tournament title and third under coach Bruce Pearl. Not only did they win with Pearl last year and in 2019, they also won in 1985.
Tennessee never trailed after a 13-1 run to go up 60-49 capped by Zeigler's 3 from the top of the circle with 7:17 left.
The Vols had an edge at the free-throw line, making 25 of 27, including 18 of 20 in the second half. Auburn was 13 of 22. Jahmai Mashack sealed the win with 14 seconds left with the final pair.
Auburn will see where it lands in the NCAA Tournament Sunday. Tennessee split with Florida during the regular season.
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1st Half
TENN
Volunteers
32
AUB
Tigers
33
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Felix Okpara vs. Dylan Cardwell (Chaz Lanier gains possession)
19:36
+3
Chaz Lanier makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists)
3-0
19:08
Felix Okpara shooting foul (Johni Broome draws the foul)
19:08
Johni Broome misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:08
Johni Broome misses regular free throw 2 of 2
19:08
Felix Okpara defensive rebound
19:03
Felix Okpara turnover (lost ball) (Miles Kelly steals)
18:56
+3
Denver Jones makes three point jump shot (Miles Kelly assists)
3-3
18:50
Igor Milicic Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Denver Jones steals)
18:25
+2
Johni Broome makes two point jump shot
3-5
17:55
+2
Chaz Lanier makes two point jump shot
5-5
17:34
+2
Chad Baker-Mazara makes two point jump shot
5-7
17:23
+3
Igor Milicic Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jahmai Mashack assists)
8-7
17:03
+3
Miles Kelly makes three point jump shot (Chad Baker-Mazara assists)
8-10
16:35
+3
Chaz Lanier makes three point jump shot
11-10
16:06
Miles Kelly misses two point jump shot
16:04
Igor Milicic Jr. personal foul (Dylan Cardwell draws the foul)
15:51
Tahaad Pettiford misses three point jump shot
15:49
Felix Okpara defensive rebound
15:39
Chad Baker-Mazara blocks Zakai Zeigler's three point jump shot
15:37
Tahaad Pettiford defensive rebound
15:34
Miles Kelly misses three point jump shot
15:32
Felix Okpara defensive rebound
15:13
+2
Igor Milicic Jr. makes two point layup (Zakai Zeigler assists)
13-10
14:46
+2
Johni Broome makes two point layup (Chad Baker-Mazara assists)
13-12
14:17
+2
Jordan Gainey makes two point layup
15-12
13:59
Chaney Johnson misses two point hook shot
13:57
Felix Okpara defensive rebound
13:47
Igor Milicic Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:45
Miles Kelly defensive rebound
13:25
+2
Chad Baker-Mazara makes two point layup
15-14
12:55
Tahaad Pettiford shooting foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul)
12:55
TV timeout
12:55
+1
Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 1 of 3
16-14
12:55
+1
Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 2 of 3
17-14
12:55
+1
Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 3 of 3
18-14
12:38
+3
Chaney Johnson makes three point jump shot (Miles Kelly assists)
18-17
12:07
Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot
12:05
Chris Moore defensive rebound
11:53
Tahaad Pettiford misses three point jump shot
11:51
Chaney Johnson offensive rebound
11:38
Miles Kelly misses three point jump shot
11:36
Jordan Gainey defensive rebound
11:16
+2
Zakai Zeigler makes two point layup
20-17
10:55
Chaney Johnson misses two point jump shot
10:53
Volunteers defensive rebound
10:53
TV timeout
10:31
Chaney Johnson personal foul (Cade Phillips draws the foul)
10:15
Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot
10:13
Cade Phillips offensive rebound
10:13
Chaney Johnson personal foul (Cade Phillips draws the foul)
10:07
+2
Chaz Lanier makes two point jump shot
22-17
9:49
Denver Jones misses three point jump shot
9:47
Felix Okpara defensive rebound
9:20
Jordan Gainey misses two point layup
9:19
Dylan Cardwell defensive rebound
8:59
+2
Johni Broome makes two point hook shot (Denver Jones assists)
22-19
8:46
Denver Jones shooting foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul)
8:46
+1
Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 1 of 2
23-19
8:46
+1
Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 2 of 2
24-19
8:35
Tahaad Pettiford misses two point jump shot
8:35
Jahmai Mashack personal foul (Ja'Heim Hudson draws the foul)