Miles Kelly delivered a career-best performance, sinking nine 3-pointers and scoring a season-high 30 points to lead No. 1 Auburn to a historic 94-78 victory over No. 17 Kentucky on Saturday. The win marked Auburn’s first triumph in Lexington, Kentucky, in 37 years and clinched at least a share of the SEC regular-season title for the Tigers (27-2, 15-1). Auburn also secured a double bye in the upcoming SEC tournament.
Chad Baker-Mazara matched his season high with 22 points and added three steals, while Tahaad Pettiford contributed 21 points in the dominant victory. The Tigers snapped a 20-game losing streak at Kentucky’s home court, improving their all-time record in Lexington to 3-51. This was Auburn’s first win at Kentucky since a 53-52 upset of then-No. 1 Kentucky on January 9, 1988, with their only other win coming in 1983.
Despite a quiet night from National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome, who finished with just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting, six rebounds, and three steals, Auburn’s offense was firing on all cylinders. The Tigers shot 51.8% from the field, including 12-of-26 from beyond the arc. Kentucky, meanwhile, struggled from deep, making just 4-of-17 3-point attempts and shooting 46% overall.
Koby Brea led the Wildcats (19-10, 8-8) with 21 points, while Andrew Carr added a season-high 20. Lamont Butler scored 15 points, and Amari Williams recorded a double-double with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists. However, Kentucky’s recent struggles continued, as they fell to 5-7 over their last 12 games and 14-3 at home this season. The Wildcats were also without Jaxson Robinson (wrist) for the fifth time in six games, and coach Mark Pope announced after the game that Robinson would miss the rest of the season.
Auburn took control early, with Kelly hitting three 3-pointers during a 12-0 run that gave the Tigers a 19-6 lead. Kentucky briefly closed the gap to 34-28 late in the first half, but Auburn closed the half on a 15-6 surge, capped by Baker-Mazara’s seven points, to take a 49-34 lead into halftime.
The Tigers extended their lead to 20 points early in the second half, with Kelly converting a four-point play to make it 59-39. Kentucky showed brief signs of life, cutting the deficit to 71-58, but Auburn responded with a 9-0 run to regain control and cruise to the finish line. Kelly, Baker-Mazara, and Pettiford combined for 44 of Auburn’s 49 first-half points, setting the tone for a historic victory. –Field Level Media
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