Miles Kelly made a career-best nine 3-pointers and scored a season-high 30 points as top-ranked Auburn recorded a 94-78 victory over No. 17 Kentucky in Southeastern Conference play on Saturday for the Tigers’ first win in Lexington, Ky., in 37 years.
Chad Baker-Mazara matched his season high of 22 points and had three steals, while Tahaad Pettiford scored 21 points as the Tigers (27-2, 15-1) clinched at least a share of the SEC regular-season title. Auburn previously clinched a double bye for the SEC tournament.
Auburn snapped a 20-game skid on Kentucky’s home floor and improved to 3-51 all-time in Lexington. It was Auburn’s first win at Kentucky since a 53-52 upset of then-No. 1 Kentucky on Jan. 9, 1988. The other win came in 1983.
National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome had just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting for the Tigers. He also had six rebounds and three steals.
Koby Brea scored 21 points and Andrew Carr added a season-best 20 for the Wildcats (19-10, 8-8), which are just 5-7 over their past dozen games. Lamont Butler scored 15 points and Amari Williams registered 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists as the Wildcats dropped to 14-3 at home this season.
Auburn shot 51.8 percent from the field, including 12 of 26 from 3-point range.
The Wildcats made 46 percent of their shots and were just 4 of 17 from behind the arc. Jaxson Robinson (wrist) sat out for Kentucky.
Auburn led by 15 at halftime and soon pushed the lead to 20 when Kelly converted a four-point play to give the Tigers a 59-39 lead with 15:59 left.
A short time later, Chris Moore drilled a 3-pointer to make it 65-43 with 14:31 remaining.
Kentucky showed signs of making a run when Butler made back-to-back baskets to pull his squad within 71-58 with 10:24 to play.
However, Pettiford made two free throws, Kelly buried a 3-pointer and Chaney Johnson scored on a putback to give Auburn a 20-point lead with 8:36 remaining. The Tigers remained in control for the rest of the contest.
Kelly had 17 points, Baker-Mazara scored 16 and Pettiford had 11 as Auburn held a 49-34 halftime lead. Williams had 12 points in the half for the Wildcats.
Kelly made three treys during an early 12-0 run that gave the Tigers a 19-6 advantage.
Kentucky later received two free throws from Butler to pull within 34-28 with 6:38 left in the half before Auburn closed the half with a 15-6 surge. Baker-Mazara scored the Tigers’ final seven points to help account for the 15-point lead.
