No. 3 Auburn falls to No. 8 Tennessee 70-65 in SEC Tournament semifinal game

Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) and teammates leave the court after a loss to Tennessee after an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Zakai Zeigler scored 20 points as No. 8 Tennessee held off regular-season champion and third-ranked Auburn 70-65 on Saturday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the first time since 2022.

The fourth-seeded Volunteers (27-6) got revenge both for their Jan. 25 loss at Auburn and their 2019 loss to the Tigers in this tournament’s title game.

Tennessee will play either fourth-ranked Florida or No. 5 Alabama on Sunday for the tournament title. The Vols and the winner of that semifinal likely wind up with No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament — only fitting for the nation’s best league.

Jordan Gainey added 15 points for the Vols, and Chaz Lanier had 12.

The Tigers (28-5) go home losers of three of their last four games.

SEC player of the year Johni Broome led Auburn with 23 points, Miles Kelly added 13 and Denver Jones had 10.

Auburn led 33-32 at halftime thanks to a late 10-0 spurt. The Tigers last led at 48-47.

The Tigers came in looking for a fourth tournament title and third under coach Bruce Pearl. Not only did they win with Pearl last year and in 2019, they also won in 1985.

Not only might the top No. 1 overall seed that Auburn once thought might belong the Tigers’ be gone, they learn Sunday where they land.

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