KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Tennessee defeated Auburn 77-69 in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Volunteers led 41-31 at halftime and maintained their advantage despite the Tigers closing the gap in the second half before a crowd of 21,678.

Nate Ament led Tennessee with 22 points, while Keyshawn Hall scored 21 for Auburn. The Volunteers secured the win at the free-throw line, making 25 of 31 attempts compared to Auburn’s 14 of 20. Tennessee improved to 15-5 overall, while Auburn fell to 14-8.