Auburn rallies, wins 14th in row

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Auburn basketball is on such a roll that guard Bryce Brown is having a hard time keeping track of how many games the Tigers have won in a row.

“It’s 14, right?” Brown asked. “We’re just trying to enjoy this as much as possible.”

Indeed, it’s been 14 consecutive victories for No. 22 Auburn, and the latest 76-68 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday put the Tigers into sole possession of first place in the SEC.

This one wasn’t easy. Auburn (16-1, 4-0 SEC) rallied from a 13-point deficit early in the second half to get the hard-fought road victory over Mississippi State. Brown led the Tigers with 23 points while Mustapha Heron and Desean Murray both added 14.

It’s the program’s longest winning streak since the 1999-2000 season, when the Tigers also won 14 in a row. Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl is proud of what his team has accomplished so far, but is also trying to guard against complacency.

“We have 14 games left — we could win them all or we could lose them all,” Pearl said. “I told the team, the team that wins this league might not be the best team in the league. It’s the team that can get ready to play night in and night out.”

This is Auburn’s first 4-0 start in SEC play since the 2002-2003 season. It’s the first time the Tigers have won four consecutive SEC games at any point since a five-game streak in 2009.

Auburn came into the game averaging more than 87 points per game, but struggled to make shots in the opening half. Mississippi State led 35-24 at halftime with Auburn shooting just 26.7 percent from the field.

The Tigers recovered, hitting six of eight three-point attempts to turn a 13-point deficit into an 11-point lead with 6 minutes left. Brown hit several tough shots during the run and Murray had steals on back-to-back possessions that led to four quick points.

Brown finished 5 of 8 from three-point range.

“Bryce Brown took over offensively,” Pearl said. “He was feeling it.”

Mississippi State (13-4, 1-3) had one more run remaining. Quinndary Weatherspoon made a four-point play after sinking a three-pointer while getting fouled and then converting the free throw. That pulled the Bulldogs within 67-65 with 2:58 left but they couldn’t get any closer.

“That is a very tough loss and in this league it stings,” Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland said.

Mississippi State was led by Weatherspoon’s 14 points. Freshman Abdul Ado had 10 points and 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Aric Holman had 11 points while Nick Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters both scored 10.

“We’ve just got to come out better in the second half and not be so nonchalant,” Quinndary Weatherspoon said. “We’ve got to come out like we play in the first half.”

NO. 21 KENTUCKY 74, VANDERBILT 67

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kevin Knox scored five consecutive points to put No. 21 Kentucky ahead to stay in a victory, which was the Wildcats’ second in a row.

With the score tied at 59-59, Knox hit a jumper with 3:48 left and hit the free throw that put Kentucky ahead for good. He added a layup on the next possession for the Wildcats (14-3, 4-1). Wenyon Gabriel added a tip-in, and Hamadou Diallo knocked down a three-pointer for a 10-2 run clinching the victory.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Kentucky with 22 points. Knox finished with 17 points and Diallo and P.J. Washington each had 10 points.

Jeff Roberson led Vanderbilt (6-11, 1-4) with 20 points, and Saben Lee added 12 points.

NO. 24 TENNESSEE 75, TEXAS A&M 62

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Jordan Bowden scored 15 points Saturday as No. 24 Tennessee defeated Texas A&M to hand the Aggies their fifth consecutive loss.

Kyle Alexander had 14 points, Admiral Schofield scored 12 points and Jordan Bone added 10 points as Tennessee (12-4, 3-2) won its third consecutive game in Volunteers coach Rick Barnes’ 1,000th career game. Barnes improved his head coaching record to 647-353.

After being ranked fifth in the nation at the start of SEC play, Texas A&M (11-6, 0-5) hasn’t won since.

Admon Gilder scored 16 points, DJ Hogg had 13 points and Tonny Trocha-Morelos had 10 points for Texas A&M, which committed 17 turnovers.

MISSISSIPPI 78, FLORIDA 72

OXFORD, Miss. — Bruce Stevens scored 22 points, Burnett added 20, and Mississippi (10-7, 3-2) held off Florida (12-5, 4-1).

Burnett — a transfer from the University of Miami — added six assists and two rebounds. It was his first game back after sitting out against No. 22 Auburn last Tuesday after a bout with the flu.

Keith Stone scored 23 points on 4-of10 shooting from the floor and 13-of-18 from the free-throw line for Florida. Jalen Hudson and Egor Koulechov scored 11 points apiece.

OTHER SEC GAMES

Frank Booker scored 17 points and South Carolina (11-6, 2-3) defeated Georgia (11-5, 2-3) 64-57 in Athens, Ga. The Gamecocks won despite a season-low 27.1 percent shooting performance from the floor in their first SEC road victory of the season . ... Dazon Ingram had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Alabama (11-6, 3-2) defeated LSU (11-5, 2-2) 7466 in Baton Rouge. Collin Sexton scored 18 points for Alabama, which won a league game on the road for the first time in three tries this season. Tremont Waters led the Tigers with 19 points and made five three-pointers.