LEXINGTON, Ky. (EETV) - Auburn claimed a share of the SEC regular-season championship Saturday afternoon, defeating No. 17 Kentucky 94-78. The win marked a historic moment for Auburn, as it was the team's first victory at Kentucky in nearly 37 years, breaking a 20-game losing streak at Rupp Arena. The Tigers rose to the occasion behind the red-hot performance of Miles Kelly.
Offensively, it seemed history might repeat itself for Auburn early on. The Tigers missed four of their first six shots and went four minutes with only one field goal before the first media timeout. Fortunately for Auburn, Kentucky shared in the early struggles, scoring just two baskets heading into the under-16 media timeout.
Then, the Miles Kelly show began. Despite the team's sluggish start, Kelly caught fire, hitting four 3-pointers on five straight possessions. His scoring surge extended Auburn’s lead to 13, leaving Kentucky scrambling to keep up.
Kelly wasn’t the only Tiger heating up, as Chad Baker-Mazara knocked down three straight shots to keep the lead in double digits. Even with Auburn’s offensive explosion, the Wildcats refused to go away, cutting the deficit to six points.
After Kentucky made it a six-point game, Auburn’s defense locked in for the final seven minutes of the half, holding the Wildcats without a field goal. Kentucky shot just 9-for-27 in the first half but stayed in the game by going 15-for-20 at the free-throw line.
On the other side, Auburn’s guards accounted for 44 of the team’s 49 first-half points, a rare occurrence given the dominance of Auburn’s big men this season. That feat was even more impressive considering the early exit of Denver Jones, who left with an injury just minutes into the game.
After the game, head coach Bruce Pearl told reporters that Jones suffered a bone bruise but does not expect the injury to linger. The setback came at an unfortunate time, as Jones had been playing some of his best basketball on both ends of the court.
Auburn’s defense continued to dominate in the second half, forcing six turnovers in the first three minutes. Kentucky’s offensive miscues allowed Auburn to extend the lead to 18.
Midway through the half, Johni Broome briefly exited for the locker room due to injury but returned just minutes later to finish the game.
Both teams struggled with turnovers the rest of the way, giving Kentucky opportunities to generate momentum. However, the Wildcats couldn’t overcome Auburn’s defensive pressure, finishing with 18 total turnovers.
Kelly led all scorers with 30 points, sinking nine 3-pointers. Tahaad Pettiford and Baker-Mazara also delivered standout performances, each scoring at least 20 points while missing just two free throws combined.
After the game, Pearl reflected on his team’s success, which included clinching at least a share of the SEC regular-season title.
“I promise you, we won’t let the success get to us,” Pearl said.
Auburn now looks to secure the outright SEC regular-season championship with a win against Texas A&M on Tuesday or an Alabama loss. The Tigers’ final road game of the season, against No. 12 Texas A&M, will be broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. CST.
