KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 4 Tennessee took down No. 11 Auburn in the Food City Center on Wednesday night as Dalton Knecht torched the nets in the second half.
The Vols' star finished with 39 points to lead Tennessee to a 92-84 decision against the Tigers.
The Vols were powered by Jonas Aidoo and their defense early. Through about the first four minutes of play, Aidoo scored six points and UT forced three turnovers as they led 10-6.
The Vols got up 12-6 and Auburn responded with a 7-0 run to take a 13-12 lead. Tennessee regained the lead at the second media timeout thanks to some physical interior play. Tobe Awaka and Aidoo drew fouls down low and dunked free throws for a 16-13 lead.
Dalton Knecht started lighting up the scoreboard after the timeout. He scored eight straight for UT with two three-pointers and a layup. However, Auburn’s deficit didn’t grow larger. With 7:49 left in the first half, UT led 24-21.
Tennessee and Auburn battled for the lead in the final minutes of the first half. Auburn held a 37-36 lead with 1:37 to go. Jordan Gainey then fed an assist to Jahmai Mashack for a layup and then Gainey sunk a three-pointer to put the Vols up 41-37.
K.D. Johnson drilled a three-pointer to pull the Tigers back within one point. With six seconds to go, Zakai Zeigler pulled up for a three and nailed it. The buzzer sounded after and the Vols led 44-40 at halftime.
To open the second half, Zeigler made another one from deep for a 47-40 lead. UT got up by as many as nine points, but Auburn chipped away.
Johni Broome had a stretch where he scored six points in a row for the Tigers. He fueled the comeback and Auburn was down only 51-49. It ended up being a part of a 23-6 run that put Auburn in the lead 63-55.
Knecht led the Vols back. He drilled a three-pointer, then had a dunk, made some free throws and then made another three-pointer. He scored 11 straight points and UT tied the game at 66-66.
Broome quieted the fans in a frenzy with a three of his own. They would be tamed for moments as Zeigler scored from deep to tie the game again at 69-69. Knecht hit a baseline jumper to give UT a 71-69 lead after a timeout. After an Auburn free throw, Knecht struck again with another jumper for a 73-70 lead.
He was not done. Up 74-72, he made another three points. After a made three by Auburn, Knecht had a massive slam dunk to put UT up 79-75.
The Tiger trimmed it to 79-77. Knecht made a free throw and then scored in a layup to get the Vols up 82-77. With the Auburn defense keyed in on Knecht, he was able to pass it off to a bucket eventually scored by Aidoo assisted by Santiago Vescovi for an 84-77 lead.
The closest Auburn got was 84-80, but the Vols extended the lead once more and the game was never within one possession again.
Knecht finished with 39 points on 12-of-21 shooting and 5-for-8 from long range. Zakai Zeigler was the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points and also flirted with a double-double with nine assists.
Tennessee's next contest takes them to Tuscaloosa when they face Alabama in its final road game of the regular season on Saturday, March 2 at 8 p.m.
