In a high-scoring SEC showdown, No. 4 Tennessee defeated No. 11 Auburn with a final score of 92-84, maintaining their lead in the SEC. The game, held in Knoxville, was marked by Tennessee's Dalton Knecht's standout performance, scoring 39 points on 21 shots, with 27 of those points coming in the second half. Auburn struggled with turnovers throughout the game, totaling 10 in the first half alone, which Tennessee capitalized on for points. Despite Auburn's efforts and a 23-6 run that gave them an 8-point lead with 12:17 left to go, Tennessee's offense, led by Knecht, proved too strong down the stretch. The game was described as an 'insane game of basketball' and a 'high-level SEC battle,' with both teams playing well in a challenging environment. Auburn's record moved to 21-7, 10-5 in the SEC, as they look to secure a top-4 SECT seed.
So many swing moments in that game, but I keep going back to the time when Auburn went on that big run and took an eight-point lead and then randomly went zone, and Knecht hit a three to start the onslaught.
Instant Impressions: Tennessee 92, Auburn 84 A high-level SEC battle in Knoxville, as the Tigers played well in a wild environment for most of the night, but the best player in the SEC dropped 39 points and carried Tennessee down the stretch https://t.co/9uwiFVBWNw https://t.co/kcVZQyyuEt
Dalton Knecht: 39 points on a top-5 Auburn defense tonight. 12-21 from the field, 5-8 from three, 10-12 from the foul line. Only one turnover. One of the very best performances of the season https://t.co/MuhLmCMVRI
NO. 4 TENNESSEE WINS A POWERHOUSE MATCHUP 🍿 The Vols take down No. 11 Auburn in a big time SEC showdown 😤 https://t.co/m9iXizv7FO
No. 4 Tennessee take down No. 11 Auburn at home. 😤 https://t.co/BVAthBHsaJ
FINAL: Tennessee 92, Auburn 84 Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht went for 39 points — and that's the difference tonight. Auburn played some good basketball. Auburn did some really nice things on offense. Still, you won't win many on the road conceding >85 points. https://t.co/hxwV55VOTr
Dalton Knecht 39 points on 21 shots in 33 minutes, Tennessee beats Auburn 92-84, and you can’t overstate what he means to the Vols. Alone in first (pending Bama at Ole Miss), and a trip to Bama is next.
Tennessee beat Auburn, 92-84 to remain the SEC leader.
39 points in a win over Auburn 😮 DALTON KNECHT IS ON ANOTHER LEVEL‼️ (📸 @Vol_Hoops) https://t.co/KOjfz044ws
Tennessee gets a GREAT win at home vs. Auburn! https://t.co/46JZzwistb
In the final 12 minutes of tonight's game, Dalton Knecht scored 25 points. Auburn scored 21.
FINAL: Tennessee 92, Auburn 84 insane game of basketball finishes with UT's offense (specifically Dalton Knecht) having more down the stretch Auburn falls to two games back in the title race and will have to fight for a top-4 SECT seed, but the schedule isn't as tough as others
FINAL | No. 4 Tennessee 92, No. 11 #Auburn 84 Tigers fall on the road as Dalton Knecht matches a Tennessee-career high of 39 points. The record is 21-7, 10-5 SEC. https://t.co/KS65lSwvEU
FINAL: No. 4 Tennessee 92, No. 11 Auburn 84 An elite, elite individual performance from Dalton Knecht: 39 points on 12-for-21 shooting, 5-for-8 from 3-point range, 10-for-12 from the free-throw line. Had 27 of his points in the second half.
Tennessee beats Auburn. Your quick recap: Tennessee had Dalton Knecht. Auburn didn't. It's that simple 🍊🍊
FINAL IN KNOXVILLE: No. 4 Tennessee 92, No. 11 Auburn 84. #Vols hold serve at home in a heavyweight fight and will still lead the SEC heading into Saturday's heavyweight fight in Tuscaloosa.
Tennessee will stay atop the SEC with a win over Auburn and Dalton Knecht stated another strong case in the SEC POY race with 39 points against Auburn. Has games 39, 39, 37, 36, 32, 31, 28, 27 and 25 this season. Just a ridiculous scoring threat.
Jonas Aidoo fouls out. Auburn to the line for two. #Vols 90, Auburn 82, 44.0 seconds/2ndH.
Fourth foul on Aidoo. 2:10 left. Auburn to the line, down 6.
There isn't a better watch in all of college hoops than Dalton Knecht. right now. Taking over when he wants, how we wants. Incredible for @Vol_Hoops https://t.co/kqyUhZ5pKN
2:57 2H | Tennessee 84, #Auburn 77 Sure, Dalton Knecht's two points away from matchup matching his UT-career high, but the Tigers also cannot get it going offensively. They haven't scored in 2:10.
Dalton Knecht is having one of the best offensive games I’ve ever seen in college basketball. Auburn has no answer. Phenomenal to watch. May put up 40. And Vols have needed them all. Just put team on his shoulders.
Auburn is just the second opponent to score 70 points in Knoxville this season. The first was Alabama in a 91-71 Tennessee win.
#Vols 84, Auburn 77, 2:57/2ndH. Auburn ball after this media timeout on the floor. Barnes didn't love that call. It happened in the one spot of the floor I can't see, so ... yeah.
that's why you just can't double a dude who isn't in the post, even if he's being possessed by the ghost of Pete Maravich Tennessee leads Auburn by 7 with 2:57 left, as the Tigers' offense hasn't been able to score in the last 2:10
Dalton Knecht is on one again in this awesome game against Auburn. Now 37 points, 10-18 FG, 5-7 3s, 10-12 FT. Vols are tough, tough, tough to guard. The SEC is so fun this year.
Knecht drives in for two more. Up to 37. #Vols up 5.
Auburn-Tennessee is everything you could possibly want. And it's still February somehow
7:33 2H | Tennessee 73, #Auburn 70 Dalton Knecht's up to 29 points — 17 of which have come in the second half — but he's also got three fouls. He's got 15 of UT's last 18 points.
#Vols 69, Auburn 69, 8:51/2ndH. Nice squared. Tennessee ball after this Auburn timeout. Good timeout from Pearl. Place is getting crazy loud.
11:38 2H | #Auburn 63, Tennessee 58 Tigers took their biggest lead within the past minute (63-55, 12:01), but Dalton Knecht just hit a 3 to give him 17 points. Would imagine AU will have to weather a scoring flurry from him. Also — both teams are one whistle away from being in…
Auburn 63, #Vols 58, 11:38/2ndH. Tigers' Johni Broome to the line for two after this media timeout on the floor.
Auburn is now on a 23-6 run and leads Tennessee by 8 with 12:17 left to go
15:36 2H | Tennessee 51, #Auburn 49 Johni Broome's heating up against, up to 12 points now. Half of those have come in the second half. AU's made four of its past five. UT's made just one of its past eight.
#Vols 51, Auburn 49, 15:36/2ndH. Refs might have missed a charge on Broome, so they call a handcheck from Auburn on the other end. Tennessee ball after this media timeout on the floor. Auburn with the momentum right now, though.
Auburn opens the second half with two turnovers.
#Vols get a stop and Zeigler three to open the 2ndH, then another stop and two Knecht free throws. Just like that ... Tennessee 49, Auburn 40.
HALF | No. 4 Tennessee 44, No. 11 #Auburn 40 A very good game on ol' Rocky Top, with the Tigers down a couple baskets at the half thanks to a Zakai Zeigler triple. These offenses have figured it out. https://t.co/45YtuvOkFJ
K.D. Johnson and Zakai Zeigler trade triples, and Tennessee takes a 44-40 lead into half ... after last year's game here ended at 46-43. Both teams shooting better than 43% from the floor and 40% from deep. Auburn's 10 turnovers have hurt, as Tennessee has 11 points off those.
HALFTIME IN KNOXVILLE: No. 4 Tennessee 44, No. 11 Auburn 40. Two very good teams playing a very entertaining game. Zakai Zeigler ends a rough half for him with a three to beat the horn, because he's Zakai Zeigler.
#Vols 41, Auburn 37, 49.5 seconds/1stH. Timeout Tigers after a quick 5-0 Tennessee spurt — Mashack floater, Gainey three from the corner.
#Vols 41, Auburn 37, 49.5 seconds/2ndH. Timeout Tigers after a quick 5-0 Tennessee spurt — Mashack floater, Gainey three from the corner.
3:59 1H | Tennessee 32, #Auburn 28 Vols have been in the bonus since the 5:10 mark and they're 12-12 at the stripe. Tigers have turned the ball over 10 times, too, with UT getting 9 points off those. Both feel like a sizable x-factor to this point.
Auburn now has 10 turnovers in the first 16:01 of this game, with the last one taking away a potential fast-break opportunity off the steal Tennessee has done a slightly etter job of turning its defense into offense, and that's a reason why it's leading by 4 right now
#Vols 32, Auburn 28, 3:59/1stH. Teams swap silly turnovers in a few seconds, and it'll be Tennessee ball after this media timeout on the floor.
Now up to nine turnovers for Auburn here in the first half. Tennessee is in the bonus and happens to be 12-12 at the line.
7:49 1H | Tennessee 24, #Auburn 21 Tigers are finding a bit of their offense, making three of their past five shots. Also — Dalton Knecht's on the bench with 10 points and a couple fouls. He scored half of those after picking up the second whistle.
Dalton Knecht heating up but sits with two fouls and 8:14 left in the first half. Probably stays there unless it goes sideways on the Vols.
that's two fouls on Aden Holloway now with 7:49 left in the first half Auburn only has one more turnover (6) than Tennessee (5), but Tennessee is +5 in points off turnovers so far the Tigers trail by 3 overall
Auburn trails Tennessee 24-21 (7:49 1H). Tennessee kept Dalton Knecht in the game with two fouls, and he buried two shots. Pretty evenly contested so far, but 7 of Tennessee's points have come off Auburn's six turnovers.
11:45 1H | Tennessee 16, #Auburn 13 The Vols have missed their past five shots and haven't made a bucket on the floor in 3-plus minutes. Tigers still haven't been able to make a run in this defensive battle, though.
#Vols 16, Auburn 13, 11:45/2ndH. Tennessee doing nearly all of it scoring in the paint so far. Vols ball after this media timeout on the floor.
15:35 1H | Tennessee 10, #Auburn 6 Tigers are shooting sub-30% (2-7) early and have turned the ball over thrice. Jonas Aidoo has looked really good for UT. He's got 6 points.
Auburn has three turnovers in the first 4:25 of this game and is only shooting 29% from the field looks haven't been bad, they just haven't fallen — which has kinda been a theme in this building the last couple of trips Auburn trails Tennessee by 4 early
#Vols 10, Auburn 6, 15:35/1stH. Tennessee ball after this media timeout on the floor.
Auburn has three turnovers before the game's first media timeout and trails Tennessee 10-6 (15:35 1H). Tigers are 2-7 from the floor and have had a couple shots go halfway down.
couple of bad turnovers early for Auburn, which you just can't have in this building against this Tennessee team
#Vols outscored Texas A&M 49-24 in the second half.
No. 5 Tennessee leads Texas A&M 79-49 with 2:19 to go.
Another 7-0 run for Tennessee. Aggies - 45 No. 5 Volunteers - 75 2H | 3:59
Tennessee outscoring A&M, 17-12, in the second. Aggies - 39 No. 5 Volunteers - 54 2H | 11:57
Tennessee heating up, making four of their last five from the field. Aggies - 27 No. 5 Volunteers - 34 1H | 12.3
7-0 Tennessee run, and the Vols are up 5️⃣ Aggies - 17 No. 5 Volunteers - 22 1H | 7:55 https://t.co/B7MJ78Pyee
#Vols 22, Texas A&M 17, 7:55/1stH. Tennessee on a 9-2 run and will have the ball after this media timeout on the floor. Dalton Knecht about to check in after spending a good 6-7 minutes on the bench.