AUBURN, Ala. – Josh Wallace and Allen Payne each scored 11 points and Auburn held Alabama to its lowest point total in the 146-game series history in a 49-37 win on Wednesday in Auburn Arena. After hitting just three field goals in the first half, Auburn connected on 57.1 percent of its attempts in the second half as it outscored Alabama, 36-14.
"We finally didn't let our offensive struggles affect our defense," Auburn head coach Tony Barbee said. "We struggled in the first half only shooting 13 percent and scoring 13 points, but we played enough defensively to keep them in range. We held them to 23 points, and that is a great defensive number. We did not let our lack of offense affect us in the second half."
Auburn (9-13, 3-6) opened the second half on a 20-3 run that included a stretch of more than nine minutes without a point by the Crimson Tide. Josh Wallace gave the Tigers their first lead of the night at 27-26 with a steal off an inbounds pass followed by a layup with 13:38 remaining.
The Tigers forced Alabama (14-8, 6-3) into 16 turnovers that were converted into 21 points. Auburn held the Crimson Tide to 37 points, the fewest total by an SEC opponent since holding Arkansas to 37 points on January 11, 2003.
With Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton leading cheers in the student section, Auburn stretched its lead all the way to double-figures at 38-28 on a Chris Denson layup with 6:28 remaining. Wallace widened the lead to its largest on two free throws with 2:10 to go, 44-31.
The Tigers missed their first nine shots of the night as Alabama built a 9-0 lead in the first seven minutes of play. Auburn broke the scoreless drought on a Shaq Johnson layup with 13 minutes left in the first half.
Auburn's second basket didn't come until the 8:59 mark when Jordan Price found Rob Chubb for an alley-oop layup. Two free throws by Payne closed the Tigers to 15-7 with 6:30 remaining before the break. Chubb scored six points with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Denson connected on a 3-pointer from the corner, then Frankie Sullivan hit two free throws to make it a 10-0 run for Auburn as it climbed to within three, 15-12, with less than four minutes remaining until halftime.
The Crimson Tide closed the opening half on an 8-1 run to widen the Auburn deficit back to double digits at halftime, 23-13.
Rodney Cooper and Trevor Lacey both scored 11 points to lead Alabama.
Auburn is in action next on Saturday at Kentucky. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.
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