The No. 13 Auburn Tigers (15-2, 4-0 SEC) picked up an 80-65 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-12, 0-4 SEC) to earn their 10th-straight win.
Auburn was in control throughout the game and never trailed by more than two points.
"We obviously respected Vanderbilt," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We prepared well for them. I thought Jaylin Williams was phenomenal."
What are the biggest takeaways from the game?
Jaylin Williams showed up to play
Auburn's veteran forward was on fire despite the cold front tearing through the southeastern United States.
Williams led Auburn in scoring with 21 points and shot a perfect 7-7 from the field. In addition, he shot 2-2 from 3-point range and 5-5 from the free-throw line. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal.
Williams has been an important part of Auburn's success for a while now, and tonight was another example of just how much of an impact he can make.
Auburn took exceptional care of the ball
Auburn turned the ball over 10 times, which led to only nine points for Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt turned the ball over 11 times, which led to only 11 points for Auburn.
The Tigers did a slightly better job in this category, but both sides were smart with the ball.
Auburn's perimeter defense played well
Vanderbilt shot 4-18 or 22.2% from beyond the arc. Auburn did not have its best night from deep either but still shot 8-25 or 32%.
Perimeter defense was a concern for Auburn before the season started, but performances like this one can do a lot for confidence.
Auburn's front court stepped up
Auburn saw a high level of production down low in this game.
Johni Broome had a double-double and was Auburn's second-highest scorer with 15 points and 12 rebounds. He also had two assists, one block and three steals.
Dylan Cardwell was Auburn's third-highest scorer with 12 points, which is his career-high. He also recorded six rebounds, two blocks and one steal.
Winning games can often start with the front court, and that was the case in this one.
Auburn fouled a lot
Auburn was called for 22 fouls in this game and allowed Vanderbilt to shoot 30 times free throws.
No one fouled out, but Aden Holloway and KD Johnson both got close with four each. Tre Donaldson and Chaney Johnson both had three called on them.
Foul trouble has been a concern for Auburn over the past couple of games.
Auburn will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts the Ole Miss Rebels at 7:30 p.m. CT. The television broadcast can be found on SEC Network, and the Auburn Sports Network broadcast can be streamed anywhere on the Auburn Athletics App.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
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