Auburn basketball’s key stats from win over Kentucky

The No. 1 Auburn Tigers won the SEC regular-season title on Saturday, defeating No. 23 Kentucky 94-78.

The Tigers entered the game not only looking to lock up the SEC crown, but also wanting to knock the Rupp Arena chip off its shoulder. Auburn crossed both goals off the list by securing the regular season title and winning its first game inside Rupp Arena since 1988.

Auburn achieved the goal despite its most valuable player, Johni Broome, having an off night. Broome was held to nine points on 33% shooting with six rebounds. In his place, stars such as Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara reached the 20-point mark while freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford anchored the bench. The collective team effort lifted Auburn to its third SEC championship in eight seasons, and its fifth overall.

Here are five key stats that pushed Auburn to a victory, and the SEC regular-season championship.

Auburn’s guards rack up 77 points

In a game where national Player of the Year hopeful Johni Broome was a non-factor, Bruce Pearl relied heavily on guard play. Miles Kelly led the way with 30 points, followed by Chad Baker-Mazara’s 22-point outing. Off the bench, freshman Tahaad Pettiford scored 21 points. Before his injury, Denver Jones scored four points by scoring once from the field and twice from the free throw stripe.

Auburn dominates the arc, 12-4

It is usually a given that the team that finds the most success from three-point territory will win the game. Auburn tripled Kentucky in the three-point game, 12-4 on Saturday. Miles Kelly connected on nine of Auburn’s 12 makes, including the bucket to put Auburn ahead, 3-0, early in the first half. Kelly’s nine three-pointers are a personal-best in an Auburn uniform, breaking his previous record of seven made threes, a feat he has reached multiple times in his career.

Turning 18 turnovers into 21 points

Kentucky mishandled the ball in several key moments on Saturday and Auburn took advantage. Auburn scored 21 of its 94 points off Kentucky turnovers while Kentucky managed to add nine points off of eight Auburn turnovers. The Wildcats may have dominated the boards, but Auburn still found ways to add points in transition.

Pettiford takes control from the bench

Auburn’s bench outscored Kentucky’s 29-5 on Saturday. Freshman Tahaad Pettiford scored a bulk of those points by shooting 60% from the field and 88% from the free throw line en route to a 21-point showing. Saturday’s game marked the fourth time that Pettiford has scored 21 points in a game, with his season-high being a 24-point effort in Auburn’s 70-68 win over Georgia in January.

Five SEC wins with 90+ points

Auburn basketball reached the 90-point mark for the second straight game on Saturday and the fifth time in SEC play. The nation’s most efficient offense is finding ways to finish the season strong, and to do so, it will need to find similar success in its final two games at Texas A&M and at home against Alabama.

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