SEC Basketball Tournament: Down goes Auburn in quarterfinals; Arkansas advances
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Game day: No. 5 Kentucky 77, Vanderbilt 71
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Friday night’s men’s basketball game between Kentucky and Vanderbilt at the SEC Tournament in Tampa, Fla.
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News and notes from the third day of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
Texas A&M takes down cold-shooting champions
There won’t be a regular season/tournament sweep for the Auburn Tigers. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers shot a horrific 16.2 percent from the floor in the first half, fell behind by 20 points in the second, then saw their furious rally come up short as No. 8 seed Texas A&M prevailed 67-62 in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday.
Auburn made just six of 37 shots in the first half, including just three of 20 three-point attempts. For the game, Auburn guard K.D. Johnson was 0-for-14 from the field, including misses on all six of his three-point attempts.
After building a 53-33 lead with 11:14 left, Buzz Williams’ Aggies held on for the win. Tyrece Radford led the way with 19 points. Henry Coleman scored 16 points with 10 rebounds. Quenton Jackson had 17 points, made seven of nine free throws and made a key block of Auburn’s Zep Jasper on a breakaway with A&M leading 62-55 and under a minute to play.
Auburn’s Wendell Green hit four ridiculous three-pointers from long, long range to get the tourney’s No. 1 seed back in the game at 60-55 with 2:14 left. But it was too little too late. Jabari Smith led Auburn with 17 points. Walker Kessler added 16.
Tennessee advances to Saturday’s semifinals
Josiah-Jordan James scored 14 points in the second half to lead No. 2 seed Tennessee to a 72-57 win over No. 10 seed Mississippi State 72-59 in the first game of the Friday night session.
With Tennessee up 39-37 at the half, James nailed four straight three-pointers to start the second half and stake the vols to a 51-40 lead. He finished with 16 points on the night. Five Volunteers scored in double figures. Tennessee committed just six turnovers on the night.
Mississippi State shot just 24 percent in the second half, making six of 25 shots. Shakeel Moore led the Bulldogs with 15 points. The Bulldogs are now 18-15.
Tennessee improved to 24-7. The Vols will play the winner of Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt in a Saturday semifinal.
Arkansas knocks off LSU to reach semifinals
Au’Diese Toney scored 22 points and JD Notae added 19 as No. 4 seed Arkansas defeated No. 5 seed LSU 79-67 in Friday’s second quarterfinal game.
Chris Lykes came off the bench to score 18 points and Jaylin Williams grabbed 11 rebounds for the Razorbacks, who will play No. 8 seed Texas A&M on Saturday. Arkansas is 25-7 on the season.
LSU dropped to 22-11. The Tigers shot just 35.3 percent, including 4-of-19 from three-point range. Tari Eason led LSU with 15 points.
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 2:31 PM.
