Dalton Knecht has Bruce Pearl's vote for SEC Player of the Year ... if Tennessee wins the SEC

Bruce Pearl is willing to vote for Dalton Knecht as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year after Knecht scored 27 of his 39 points in the second half Wednesday night, rallying No. 4 Tennessee from down eight points to beat No. 11 Auburn 92-84. 

But it comes with a caveat. 

For Pearl to vote for Knecht, Tennessee has to win the SEC’s regular-season championship.

“What I’ve always done,” Pearl said Wednesday night during his postgame press conference at Thompson-Boling Arena, “and what I’ve always believed in, is I’ve voted for the best player on the best team. 

“So if Tennessee wins the league, (Knecht will) get my vote for sure. If Alabama wins the league, I’m going to vote for Mark Sears.”

Dalton Knecht has scored 30 or more points in six games, 35 or more points four times

Knecht scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half in a span of 11 minutes, seven seconds, turning a 63-55 Tennessee deficit into an 88-82 Tennessee lead. He made two 3-point field goals, had two dunks, had two layups and made four free throws while carrying his team to the win.

“What he did in the last about 12 minutes,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said after the game, “I think was just one of the great performances that I’ve been able to see.”

Knecht’s 39 points matched the season-high he set against Florida in January. He’s now scored 30 or more points in six games and 35 or more in four games. 

His 27 points in the second half Wednesday was his highest-scoring half of the season. He has six halves with 20 or more points this season, including five second halves. 

“He got it going,” Barnes said, “and we just said, hey, we’re going to get it to him and the other guys are ready, try to get him open and then he’ll make the play, and then we got to rebound the ball.”

Tennessee (22-6, 12-3 SEC) and Alabama (22-6, 12-3) remain tied at the top of the SEC standings after the Crimson Tide won at Ole Miss Wednesday night. 

The Vols beat Alabama 91-71 on January 20 in Knoxville and now make the return trip to Tuscaloosa for Saturday night’s game (8 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Coleman Coliseum. 

Tennessee goes to No. 18 South Carolina next Wednesday and hosts No. 16 Kentucky on Senior Day in Knoxville on March 9, in the regular-season finale. Alabama next week goes to Florida and hosts Arkansas.

Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee at No. 16 Alabama, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Sears entered Wednesday leading the SEC in scoring at 20.4 points per game, just ahead of Knecht’s 20.1. 

Knecht’s 39 points against Auburn raised his season average to 20.8 points per game. Sears had 26 points in Alabama’s 103-88 win at Ole Miss.

“I typically just have always voted for the best player, the best team,” Pearl said. 

Pearl was also asked Wednesday night how Knecht compares to other standout players in Tennessee basketball history, considering Pearl’s own familiarity with the program. 

Knecht’s legacy, Pearl said, also depends on what happens down the stretch with this Tennessee basketball team. Just like Pearl’s SEC Player of the Year vote depends on the next three games for the Vols. 

“With his size and the versatility there,” Pearl said, “I just can’t think of anybody quite like it. But just like anything, like what we’re trying to do at Auburn is, if they win the league, if they advance in the tournament, he’ll have a chance to go down as one of the all-time greats. 

“At the end of the day, he knows that as great as he is as an individual, if this team can make a run, then they’ll be talking about him for a long time.”