The Auburn basketball season isn’t over yet. KT Harrell’s three-pointer at the end of regulation helped Auburn beat LSU in overtime in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.
Auburn hadn’t led at any point, but they kept hanging around and hanging around until they found themselves with the ball and trailing LSU in a one possession game with 5.9 seconds on the clock.
Mar 13, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Auburn Tigers guard KT Harrell (1) reacts during the second half of the third round after hitting a shot to send the game to overtime against LSU Tigers of the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
The Auburn Tigers had lost to LSU by 25 points the last time the two teams played – at Auburn Arena no less. LSU was already bigger, stronger, more talented and with a longer bench. Auburn was even forced to play the majority of the second half without 6-foot-8 starting forward Jordon Granger after he was ejected for throwing a punch with 13:48 left to play.
Still, playing with heart, grit and determination, Auburn found a way.
With the final seconds winding down and Auburn trailing 64-61, senior guard K.T. Harrell hit a three-pointer to tie the game and send it to overtime.
LSU had already lost Jordan Mickey and Tim Quarterman with five fouls apiece. Auburn took their first lead of the game with 3:45 left on the clock in overtime and held on for an unbelievable 73-70 victory in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.
After winning just four games in SEC play in 18 attempts in the regular season, Auburn has now won three in three days.
"HE GOT IT!! HE GOT IT!!"
— Rod Bramblett (@VoiceofAUTigers) March 13, 2015
@IMGAudio of KT's game-tying three-pointer for @AuburnMBB ---> http://t.co/cKGbsmQB67 #SECTourney
Harrell – who had been snubbed from the All-SEC First Team before the tournament began – tied a career-high with 29 points, including 11 in a row at the end of regulation and the first four of the overtime period.
The strong finish from Harrell helped to make up for a slow start. He had just five points and played only eight minutes in the first half after picking up a second early foul.
As the first half came to a close, Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl stuck with a lineup of Granger, Malcolm Canada (who had 10 points off the bench in the first half and 14 in the game), K.C. Ross-Miller, Alex Thompson and T.J. Lang – or as I like to call them, the Orange Platoon.
Even with the Tigers season-leading scoring trio of Harrell, Antoine Mason and Cinmeon Bowers on the bench, Auburn kept the game close and trailed 28-24 as they left the court for the locker room.
The second half, and the overtime period, belonged to KT Harrell.
Overall, Harrell was 5-for-11 from the floor, 4-for-7 from the three-point line and 15-for-18 from the charity stripe. He missed his final two free throws to give LSU a last second shot at their own desperation three-pointer, but it missed the mark and the Auburn basketball team celebrated an incredible victory.
The reward for beating LSU? A date with undefeated Kentucky (and former Auburn head coach Tony Barbee, who probably blocked you on Twitter recently) Saturday in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament.
The game tips off at 12PM Central on ESPN.
Next: Bruce Pearl's Foundation is Firmly Set
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