Auburn Falls 77–69 at Tennessee as Late Rally Comes Up Short

January 31, 2026 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Auburn's surge through SEC play hit a wall Saturday night as the Tigers fell 77–69 to Tennessee at Food City Center, snapping a four‑game winning streak and continuing a six‑year drought in Knoxville. The Volunteers opened the game with a blistering offensive start and never relinquished control, outmuscling Auburn on the boards and capitalizing at the foul line.

Auburn's four‑game winning streak came to an end last night in Knoxville, where Tennessee controlled the game wire‑to‑wire and handed the Tigers a 77–69 loss in a physical SEC matchup. Auburn never led, repeatedly clawing within a possession in the second half but unable to overcome the Vols' dominance on the glass and at the free‑throw line.

Tennessee Sets the Tone Early

Tennessee raced out to a 16–6 lead behind hot shooting and relentless rebounding, at one point hitting six of their first eight shots and building a 37–21 advantage late in the first half. Auburn trimmed the deficit to 41–31 at halftime thanks to a four‑point play from Kevin Overton, but the Tigers remained in chase mode all night.

Freshman forward Nate Ament powered the Vols with 22 points, including 12-of-15 at the free‑throw line, and grabbed eight rebounds. Tennessee's physicality showed throughout the game, finishing with a 46–30 rebounding edge and earning 11 more free‑throw attempts than Auburn.

Auburn's Comeback Attempts Fall Short

Auburn repeatedly threatened in the second half. A four‑point play by Tahaad Pettiford cut the margin to 49–44, and a 7–0 run capped by a Filip Jović and‑1 brought the Tigers within 59–56 with just over seven minutes remaining. But each time Auburn closed the gap, Tennessee responded with a counterpunch-most notably a pair of 6–0 bursts that restored double‑digit cushions.

Keyshawn Hall led Auburn with 21 points, including 16 in the second half, while Pettiford added 11. Still, the Tigers struggled from deep, shooting just 7-of-31 (23%) from three‑point range, a stark contrast to their efficient midweek performance against Texas.

What This Means for Auburn

The loss drops Auburn to 14–8 (5–4 SEC) and halts the momentum that had pushed the Tigers back into the conference race. Head coach Steven Pearl, returning to his alma mater for the first time as Auburn's head coach, acknowledged Tennessee's physical edge afterward.

"Credit to Tennessee. They beat us at our own game," Pearl said. "They got to the foul line 11 more times than we did, and they did a really good job of attacking the paint."

Tennessee, now 15–6 (5–3 SEC), secured its third straight conference win and continued its climb up the SEC standings.

Looking Ahead

Auburn returns home seeking to regroup before a pivotal stretch of SEC play. With the Iron Bowl of Basketball looming next weekend, the Tigers will aim to correct their rebounding issues and rediscover their perimeter rhythm.

If you'd like, Brandon, I can also create a print‑ready version, a shorter recap for social media, or a Spanish‑language outreach version tailored for Alabama audiences.