AUBURN, Ala.— Denver Jones scored a season-high 21 points, shooting 7-for-9 from 3-point range, to help No. 13 Auburn close the regular season with a 92-78 victory over Georgia on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play.
The Tigers (24-7, 13-5) secured the No. 4 seed and a double bye in the SEC tournament with their third straight victory, making a potentially less grueling path in Nashville. They’ll play in Friday’s second quarterfinal.
“It takes three games to win the championship,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “We’ve won three games in a row several times this year. Obviously we know the competition in this league is incredible.”
The Tigers already had a double-digit lead over the Bulldogs (16-15, 6-12) much of the way, and then Jones hit three straight 3s in a two-minute span to help Auburn build a 60-39 cushion.
“I feel like it’s about time for everybody to start getting hot,” Jones said. “Right here in March, it’s about the right time where everybody starts playing with more confidence and starts taking the open shots and starts knocking them down.”