On March 15, 2025, the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers defeated the No. 3 Auburn Tigers 70-65 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament semifinals at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. This victory propelled Tennessee to the SEC Tournament championship game for the first time since 2022.
Senior guard Zakai Zeigler led Tennessee with 20 points. Jordan Gainey added 15 points, and Chaz Lanier contributed 12 points. For Auburn, SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome scored 23 points, while Miles Kelly and Denver Jones added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Auburn held a narrow 33-32 lead at halftime, but Tennessee outscored them 38-32 in the second half to secure the win. The Volunteers’ performance included a remarkable 92.6% free-throw shooting rate, converting 25 of 27 attempts.
Tennessee’s win avenged their earlier season loss to Auburn and advanced them to the SEC Tournament championship game against Florida.
For highlights of the game, you can watch the following video: