Johni Broome had 23 points and 15 returns and No. 3 Auburn held Ole Miss 62-57 in the quarter final in the Southeastern Conference tournament on Friday afternoon in Nashville.
Denver Jones added 13 points for the top-seeded tigers (28-4), who will meet the winner of Friday’s game between Texas and No. 8 Tennessee in the semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
Dre Davis and Sean Pedulla each got 12 points and Jaylen Murray and Malik Dia added to 10 to lead the eighth seeded rebels (22-11).
Broom’s arrangement started the score for the second half and gave Auburn a lead 31-22. Ole Miss scored the next six points, but Kelly Miles made a jumper and a 3 point to drive the lead to eight.
The tigers led by eight on another four occasions before three arrangements by Pedulla and a jumper by Davis helped the rebels to pull even 46. Chany Johnson broke a tie by making a 3-pointer who ended up an almost six-minute field good drying for Auburn.
Jaemyn Brakefield made a free throw for Ole Miss, but Broome followed with a three-point game and a layout and Jones added a three-point game that gave the Tigers a 57-47 lead with 3 minutes left.
Davon Barnes made two free throw and Dia had a can that ended a more than four minute field painting for the rebels. Chad Baker-Mazara’s three-point game expanded the lead to nine with 1:34 left.
Pedullas steal and arrangements were part of a 6-0 driving that trimmed the lead to three with 38 seconds left, but Broome made a jumper with 11 seconds left.
The points were tied twice and the fifth change of management occurred when Auburn took the lead for the rest of the first half, 15-14, on two free throw by Broome. The tigers increased the lead to six points before Murray made a layout.
Another two free throw by Broome and a 3-point of Tahaad Pettiford gave Auburn its biggest lead of Halvan, 27-18. Ole Miss came within five points before Jones made a jumper to give Tigers a 29-22 half-time leadership.
-Field level media
