For the first time since meeting in the 2019 SEC Tournament title, No. 1 seed Auburn will take on No. 4 seed Tennessee on semifinal Saturday at Noon CST in the SEC Tournament in a rematch of the top-10 defensive battle that the Tigers won 53-51 earlier this season.
“Our guys came here to win a championship,” head coach Bruce Pearl said following the win over Ole Miss Friday. “It’s not going to be easy because Tennessee or Texas will be all we can handle and then on the other side there are two teams on that side that could be on the one line.”
While the January clash with Tennessee is remembered for senior guard Miles Kelly hitting a 3-pointer to seal the Tigers’ win with 30 seconds left to play, defense was the story of the day for both squads.
“Gonna be a tough game. We definitely gotta focus defensively. You know, try to execute offensively to win the game,” said Tennessee forward Felix Okpara following the Volunteers win over Texas.
Both teams shot no better than 31% from the field with Auburn hitting just 18 shots and a season low three 3-pointers. The Tigers’ 53 points against the Volunteers are the lowest in a game all season for Auburn.
Exactly half of the points scored by both Auburn and Tennessee were scored in the paint, 52 of 104 total combined points.
“Really scrappy team. You know, I felt like we didn't get a enough rebounds and we got to clean that up,” said Felix Okpara
But despite Tennessee losing the rebounding battle by a margin of four and the Tigers obtaining five more offensive rebounds than the Volunteers, Zakai Zeigler still had a shot in the air to take down the at the time top ranked Tigers.
“We lost,” Zeigler said bluntly when asked to reflect on his last matchup with Auburn. “We want to come out with a win no matter what. So, you know, we just coming in with the right mindset of, we just got to do whatever it takes to win.”
In a game where both squads struggled offensively, Zeigler was able to rattle off 14 points and six rebounds compared to all four of the Tigers’ guards knocking down a combined five shots from the field.
Zeigler will once again pose the biggest threat to Auburn’s backcourt that was able to hold Ole Miss to its season-low in 3-pointers made and points on Friday afternoon in Nashville, TN.
“Just like playing against the best of the best,” Zeigler said of what he looks forward to in the rematch. “Being in the SEC whether it's Auburn, Kentucky or Texas, no matter who it is, we're playing against the best teams in the country every single game.”
And as if the regular season duel along with the elevated stage of playing for the trip to the tournament title game wasn’t enough juice for the semifinal matchup, it’s clear these two juggernauts that have competed for SEC championships numerous times the past several seasons want to face off one more time.
“We wanted them,” said senior Tennessee forward Igor Miličić Jr.
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
