Auburn earned its second win over South Carolina this season, beating the Gamecocks 86-55 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. The 31-point win came one month after the Tigers’ 40-point win over South Carolina in the regular season. It was Auburn’s first SEC Tournament win since 2019.
“I think the thing people are wondering – why we were so excited about playing. I don't know if that should even be a question. We try to be always excited about playing, respect our opponent,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “We recognize that we need to make plays on both ends of the floor. We also recognize it's been since 2019 that we won an SEC game, that time we won three or four to win the SEC Tournament.”
The Tigers’ win was their eighth straight over South Carolina, a streak that dates back to the 2019 SEC Tournament. It is Auburn’s longest active win streak against an SEC opponent.
Auburn’s defense led the way to the Tigers’ rout of the Gamecocks. The Tigers held South Carolina to a 28.1% shooting clip for the game, with a 25% rate from 3-point range.
The Tigers forced 10 turnovers, with six live-ball steals in the game. In addition, Auburn blocked eight shots, led by four blocks from Dylan Cardwell. Johni Broome and Chaney Johnson each blocked two.
Meanwhile, Auburn shot 49.3% from the field in the game and continued its recent surge from 3-point range. Auburn was 9-of-19, or 47.4%, from behind the arc. Broome and K.D. Johnson each made two 3-pointers for the Tigers.
“(Pearl) always tells us now is the time to go on a run, make shots,” Broome said. “That's how you advance in the tournament, in the NCAA Tournament, how you win games. I think everybody been taking pride in what he said because we went through a little shooting slump mid-season.”
A balanced scoring attack saw 11 different Tigers score, including each of the 10 rotation players. Broome led Auburn with 18 points, earning another double-double with 10 rebounds. Chaney Johnson and K.D. Johnson each reached double figures in scoring, with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
“I mean, my main goal is just to improve game by game,” Chaney Johnson said. “I kind of ramped up my work ethic. I've been putting in a lot of extra. These games are really important. I know my team really going to need me. I just want to be the best player I can be for them.”
Auburn used a pair of big first-half runs to create separation from the Gamecocks. A 13-0 run midway through the period gave the Tigers a double-digit lead, which it kept for the remainder of the game, and an 11-1 run to end the first half pushed the lead above 20. The Tigers led for 36:19 of game time, trailing for just 2:18.
The Tigers dominated the paint, outscoring the Gamecocks 42-22 on the interior. Auburn scored 46 ponts in the first half, 24 of which came in the paint.
After a slow start to the second half, Auburn shot an even 50% from the field and was also 50% from 3-point range, surpassing its first-half marks for both.
Auburn turned the ball over just five times in the game, while dishing out 18 assists. Tre Donaldson led the Tigers with four assists and did not commit a turnover. Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara and K.D. Johnson each had three assists. Of the Tigers’ turnovers, just one occurred in the second half.
“I can just credit our point guards,” Chaney Johnson said. “I mean, they're great leaders on and off the court. I mean, one turnover combined for the whole team is crazy. That just is a testament to their focus and their mindset going into these games.”
Auburn struggled at the foul line for the second straight game, making nine of its 17 free-throw attempts. Broome was 4-of-7 at the foul line to lead the Tigers in makes. Auburn sent the Gamecocks to the line 28 times, with South Carolina making 20.
It was Auburn’s second-largest SEC Tournament win in program history and its largest since a 32-point win over Alabama on March 5, 1999. It marks Auburn’s 13th trip to the SEC semifinals and the third under Bruce Pearl, who also took the Tigers to the semifinals in 2015 and 2019.
“Did you see how many people were there for Auburn? Ain't no neutral site now,” Pearl said. “That's a home-court advantage for the Auburn Tigers because our fans traveled. I'm just glad they don't have to check out of their hotels tonight.”
The Tigers will face Mississippi State, who defeated top-seeded Tennessee, in the semifinals of the tournament. The teams split their two regular-season meetings, with each winning on its home floor. Tipoff is set for noon CT for a national broadcast on ESPN.
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Matthew is a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @mattwallaceAU
