Senior guards Samir Doughty and J'Von McCormick combined for 27 points in the second half to spark visiting No. 17 Auburn to an 85-63 Southeastern Conference victory over Tennessee Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.

Doughty set career highs in 3-pointers (eight) and 3-point attempts (13) on his way to a game-high 32 points, and McCormick (3 of 6 from long range) finished with 13 points as the Tigers (25-6, 12-6 SEC) avoided what could have been their first three-game losing streak of the season.

John Fulkerson scored 19 points and Jordan Bowden 17 to lead the Volunteers (17-14, 9-9). Yves Pons blocked Auburn's first shot attempt of the game and finished with two rejections to give him at least one blocked shot in every game.

For a second straight game, a technical foul nearly did in the Tigers, who saw technicals against coach Bruce Pearl and assistant Steven Pearl reverse their momentum in their loss to Texas A&M on Wednesday. Anfernee McLemore was assessed a technical nearly halfway through the second half at Tennessee, and the Volunteers cashed in on Bowden's two free throws and Santiago Vescovi's corner 3-pointer to trim what had been a 17-point second-half deficit to 57-51.

This time the Tigers regained control and went on a 15-6 spurt to take a 15-point lead with about six minutes to go, and they led by double digits the rest of the way.

Doughty scored 15 points in the first half to help stake the Tigers to a 42-31 lead at the break. Fulkerson also was in double figures in the first period with 13 points, but he had little help as the Volunteers went over seven minutes without a field goal at one point, missing only three shots but committing five turnovers in that span.

The Tigers took their first double-digit lead, 34-23, on Doughty's 3-pointer at the 3:55 mark and led by 14 points before Bowden closed the period out by hitting a 3-pointer for Tennessee in the closing seconds.

--Field Level Media