TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Zakai Zeigler scored 18 points and made four 3-pointers as No. 4 Tennessee beat No. 14 Alabama 81-74 to take sole possession of the Southeastern Conference lead. The Volunteers came into the game tied with the Crimson Tide atop the league standings and delivered their second straight big win heading into the final week of the regular season. Tennessee also beat No. 11 Auburn 92-84 on Wednesday. The Vols held the nation’s No. 2 scoring team without a field goal for more than nine minutes down the stretch. Mark Sears led Alabama with 22 points.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Johni Broome had 17 points, Denver Jones scored 15, and No. 11 Auburn bounced back from a road loss at fourth-ranked Tennessee with a 78-63 win over Mississippi State. Auburn set the tone Saturday with its defense, as Mississippi State missed 17 of its first 19 shots. The Tigers never trailed, and they recorded nine blocks and eight steals in the victory. Josh Hubbard finished with 23 points, including 20 in the second half, for the Bulldogs. Tolu Smith added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Tyrece Radford totaled 20 points and 10 rebounds and Andersson Garcia also had a double-double as Texas A&M finished strong in a 70-56 victory over Georgia. Radford made 7 of 17 shots with three 3-pointers for the Aggies (16-13, 7-9 Southeastern Conference). Garcia added 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, sinking 4 of 5 shots with a 3-pointer. Manny Obaseki pitched in with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Blue Cain led the Bulldogs (15-14, 5-11) with 11 points. He made 5 of 12 shots, including 1 of 7 from 3-point range. Jabri Abdur-Rahim had 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc. He also missed his only shot from inside the arc.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jordan Wright had 15 points, Jalen Reed came off the bench to score 13 and LSU breezed to a wire-to-wire 75-61 victory over Vanderbilt. Wright made 5 of 8 shots with a 3-pointer and all four of his free throws for the Tigers (16-13, 8-8 Southeastern Conference). He grabbed seven rebounds. Reed hit 4 of 6 from the floor with a 3-pointer and 4 of 6 at the foul line, adding six rebounds. Will Baker, Tyrelll Ward and reserve Mike Williams III all scored 10. Tyrin Lawrence had 21 points to lead the Commodores (8-21, 3-13), who surrendered the first seven points of the game and trailed the rest of the way.
LEXINGTON, Ky (AP) — Rob Dillingham scored 11 of his 15 points in the final 6:33 and No. 16 Kentucky rallied for a 111-102 victory over Arkansas on Saturday. The Razorbacks (14-15, 5-11 SEC) led 86-77 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining before the Wildcats (21-8, 11-5) stormed back with a 21-6 burst to open a 98-92 lead. Antonio Reeves led Kentucky with 22 points and D.J. Wagner added 19. Kentucky held a 54-31 edge in bench points and had six players in double figures. Khalif Battle scored 34 points for the Razorbacks.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Meechie Johnson scored 25 points including a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 43.4 seconds to play as No. 18 South Carolina rallied for an 82-76 victory over No. 24 Florida. The Gamecocks trailed 56-46 with 12 minutes to play, but behind Johnson and Collin Murray-Boyles turned things around with a 26-12 surge in front of a cheering crowd. They kept themselves in the chase for an SEC title, a game behind co-leaders No. 4 Tennessee and No. 14 Alabama when the day started. Walter Clayton Jr. had 20 points and Zyon Pullin scored 18 for the Gators.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jaemyn Brakefield hit four free throws and Matthew Murrell, Jaylen Murray and Austin Nunez each hit a pair in the final 35 seconds to help Mississippi escape Missouri with an 84-78 win. The Tigers, winless in 16 Southeastern Conference games, got within two points after Nick Honor converted three free throws with 50 seconds left to make it 76-74, but after Murrell’s free throws Sean East II missed a 3-point attempt and Brakefield grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Aidan Shaw. After Brakefield converted both free throws. Shaw scored a layup and the Tigers immediately fouled Murray. Honor followed Murray’s free throws with a layup and Nunez hit the final Ole Miss free throws with a second left.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has told its enforcement staff to halt investigations into booster-backed collectives or other third parties making name, image and likeness compensation deals with Division I athletes. In a letter to member schools, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the the Division I Board of Directors directed enforcement staff to hold off. The move comes a week after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia. The antitrust suit challenges NCAA rules against recruiting inducements, saying they inhibit athletes’ ability to cash in on their celebrity and fame.
