Auburn Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers Lock Horns in a Fierce Southeastern Semifinal

In a closely contested Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinal, the Auburn Tigers faced off against the Tennessee Volunteers at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Despite a valiant effort, the Tigers fell short with a final score of 65-70, moving their season record to an impressive yet slightly tarnished mark. The Volunteers, ranked 8th nationally, improved their record with this victory in front of an electrifying crowd of 19,049 spectators.

Tigers' Efforts and Highlights

The Auburn Tigers showcased resilience and teamwork throughout the game. Johni Broome led the team with an outstanding performance, scoring 23 points and grabbing seven rebounds. His shooting accuracy was remarkable as he made 69 percent of his two-point attempts. However, his free-throw shooting was less effective at 42 percent.

Denver Jones also made significant contributions with 10 points and three assists but struggled from beyond the arc hitting only 20 percent of his three-point shots. His free-throw accuracy was notable at 88 percent.

Miles Kelly added another layer to Auburn's attack by chipping in with 13 points and showcasing defensive prowess with two steals. His field goal percentage stood at a solid 46 percent.

Despite these individual performances, the team as a whole shot only 42 percent from the field and converted just six out of twenty-one three-point attempts for a modest rate of about twenty-nine percent from distance.

Volunteers' Winning Formula

The Tennessee Volunteers demonstrated why they are one of the top teams in the nation by executing on both ends of the floor. They capitalized on turnovers scoring eleven points off them while also dominating inside by scoring twenty-eight points in paint.

Their free throw shooting was nearly flawless at ninety-three percent which played a crucial role in maintaining their lead especially towards closing stages of this nail-biter contest.

One key statistic that stood out for Tennessee was their bench contribution which amounted to twenty-five points indicating depth and versatility within their squad.