'This is a game we wanted': Tennessee gets another shot at Auburn in SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE — Jordan Gainey’s mind went back to halftime of Tennessee Basketball’s game at Auburn on January 25. The senior guard had been listed on the injury report due to an illness, but played 13 minutes in the first half anyway, helping the Vols scrap and claw in a one-possession game. 

“I thought I was going to pass out,” Gainey said Friday. “But I got me some energy chews, ate those and felt a lot better in the second half than I did in the first. 

“I just had to battle and make sure I didn’t let the other team see that I was fatigued or anything.”

Gainey finished with eight points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in 25 minutes, but Tennessee lost 53-51 at Neville Arena after Auburn rallied from down four with 2:05 left. 

“I feel like we played really good basketball,” Gainey said, “but we didn’t really complete it the way we wanted to. We played hard. It was hard fought.”

No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Auburn, Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN

Now Tennessee (26-6) gets another shot at Auburn (28-4) in the SEC Tournament semifinals Saturday (1 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Bridgestone Arena. The Tigers, the No. 1 seed in the bracket, beat Ole Miss 62-57 in Friday’s early game. The fourth-seeded Vols beat No. 13 Texas 83-72 to advance. 

Back in January, after Tennessee had taken a 51-47 lead, Auburn closed on a 6-0 run, with Miles Kelly hitting a go-ahead three with 30 seconds. 

Johni Broome had 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win, playing 33 minutes in his return from an ankle injury that had sidelined him the previous three games. He setup the game-winning shot on a drive to the rim, losing the ball on the way up, then recovering and passing to an open Kelly in the corner.

“It was a classic broken play at the end that went their way,” Gainey said. “And we just went back to the film room, watched it and learned from it. But it was one of those games where you wish that one play went your way and it didn’t.”

Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark on Friday made sure to credit Auburn for winning the game, but added that the Vols did more than their part to lose it. 

“Really felt like we let that one get away,” Clark said. “They beat us, they really did. They played well. Johni Broome was amazing, made some tough shots. Miles Kelly made two tough threes down the stretch. 

“We definitely got beat, but we definitely feel like that was a game we could’ve won if we kind of made some adjustments on a couple possessions, played a little bit tougher, blocked out a little bit more, got on defensive class a little bit harder.”

Zakai Zeigler had 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 39 minutes at Auburn, missing a corner three of his own with eight seconds left. Chaz Lanier scored 10 points in 27 minutes. 

Felix Okpara had six points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes while drawing the defensive assignment on Broome. 

“It was scrappy,” Okpara said. “It was a tough game. And I think for us, it’s just trying to focus on defense, defensive rebounding and trying to stop (Auburn).”

Johni Broome leads Auburn with 18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 blocks per game

Stopping Auburn starts with stopping Broome, which is easier said than done. He was named the SEC Player of the Year on Monday, is on his way to First Team All-American honors and is battling Duke freshman Cooper Flagg for national player of the year awards.

“We know where the ball goes when the time goes down,” Okpara said. “We know it’s going go to go to Johni Broome. I think for me it’s just doing my job and trying to contend Johni Broome all game.” 

Broome averages a double-double with 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds, to go with 3.3 assists and 2.4 blocks per game.

“He’s just a good scorer in the paint, a good rebounder, a good passer, too,” Okpara said. “He’s just an all-around big.”

Tennessee continues to battle Florida and Alabama for the final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. All three teams are in the SEC Tournament semifinals, with Florida and Alabama playing Saturday’s second game. 

The Gators started the week on the No. 1-seed line in most bracket projections, with ESPN Bracketology having Alabama as the No. 5 overall seed and Tennessee as the No. 6 overall seed. 

“This is a game that we wanted coming into this tournament,” Clark said. “We definitely wanted to make sure we won this first one (against Texas), took care of business, but now this is the matchup that we waited for, that we really wanted. 

“And it’s another team that’s in the way of us trying to get another SEC Tournament championship.”