In a thrilling SEC showdown at Auburn Arena, the 19th-ranked Auburn Tigers (16-4, 6-1 SEC) rallied from behind to upset the 15th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks (14-5, 4-3 SEC) by a score of 81-79 on Saturday night.
The Tigers got off to a slow start, falling behind 10-0 in the first four minutes. But they battled back to take a 38-34 lead at halftime. South Carolina regained the lead early in the second half, but Auburn refused to go away.
Sophomore guard K.D. Johnson led the Tigers with a game-high 23 points. Senior forward Jaylin Williams added 17 points and 13 rebounds, while junior guard Allen Flanigan chipped in with 16 points.
For South Carolina, GG Jackson led the way with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Hayden Brown added 19 points, and Chico Carter had 15.
The game was close throughout the second half, with neither team able to pull away. With just over two minutes remaining, Flanigan hit a three-pointer to give Auburn a 77-76 lead.
After a South Carolina turnover, Williams hit a layup to make it 79-76 with 1:06 left. The Gamecocks had a chance to tie it up, but Meechie Johnson's three-pointer bounced off the rim.
Flanigan then hit two free throws with 9.4 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
The win is a big one for Auburn, as it keeps them in the hunt for the SEC regular-season title. The Tigers are now just one game behind Kentucky (15-5, 6-0 SEC) in the league standings.
The win also snapped a three-game losing streak for Auburn, which is now 6-1 in SEC play for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Auburn will return to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the Ole Miss Rebels (10-10, 2-5 SEC). South Carolina will host the Florida Gators (12-8, 5-2 SEC) on Wednesday night.