The Auburn Tigers travelled north to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the Tennessee Volunteers, riding a 4-game SEC win streak after a midweek comeback win against Texas. However, that run came to an end against the Vols, with Auburn falling short 77-69.
The Tigers stumbled out of the gate, with Tennessee grabbing a commanding 13-4 lead in the first four minutes of the game. The Volunteers were led by freshman forward Nate Ament and junior Forward Jaylen Carey, who each had 11 points in the first half.
Auburn once again struggled to find consistent first half scoring, as Keyshawn Hall was limited to just five points and one made field goal. Hall spent much of the game struggling with a bandage on one of his fingers that seemed to affect his shooting ability.
After the first 20 minutes, Auburn found itself trailing Tennessee by 10, 41-31. The Tigers shot just 37.9% from the field and 23.1% from deep, while the Volunteers shot 45.2% from the floor and a red hot 50% from three, making four of their eight attempts.
Coming out of the half, Auburn tried to repeat its comeback efforts from its previous game against Texas. The Tigers repeatedly chipped away at Tennessee’s lead, but kept giving up short runs whenever it felt like they were within touching distance of the lead.
Auburn’s closest chance came with 7:08 to play, as the Tigers drew within three, 56-59, following an and-one free throw from freshman forward Filip Jović. However, the Volunteers countered with a quick 6-0 run to keep the game just out of reach.
The Tigers were able to take better care of the basketball down the stretch than Tennessee, but the Volunteers’ ability on the offensive boards did Auburn in. It felt as if every possession for the home team lasted an additional 25 seconds.
Tennessee entered the game as the best offensive rebounding team in the SEC, and it flexed its muscles in that area again, outdoing Auburn 12-17 in offensive rebounds and a much more devastating 46-30 in overall rebounds.
Furthermore, Auburn’s shooting percentages from the field and from three couldn’t recover, meaning the Tigers didn’t have the ability to shoot their way back into it. And, as is often the case, it is extremely hard to beat Tennessee in a grinding game in its own building.
The loss is tough to swallow for the Tigers after the wave of momentum they came riding in on, but that has been the 2025-26 SEC in a nutshell. No matter how good of form a team is in, anyone can be vulnerable on any night. And Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee just out-Auburn’d Auburn, something head coach Steven Pearl noted postgame.
“Credit to Tennessee. They beat us at our own game,” Pearl said. “They got to the foul line 11 more times than we did and they did a really good job of attacking the paint. They hit four early threes and they didn’t continue to settle for 3s like we did. They out physicaled us and had their way.”
Auburn will look to regroup quickly, as the Iron Bowl of Basketball looms next. The Alabama Crimson Tide will come to Neville Arena on Saturday, Feb. 7 to take on the Tigers. Tip is scheduled for either 3 or 3:30 p.m. CDT, though official channel assignments for the game have not yet been made.
