NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Zakai Zeigler scored 20 points as No. 8 Tennessee held off regular-season champion and third-ranked Auburn 70-65 on Saturday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the first time since 2022.
The fourth-seeded Volunteers (27-6) got revenge both for their Jan. 25 loss at Auburn and their 2019 loss to the Tigers in this tournament's title game.
Tennessee will play fourth-ranked Florida, a 104-82 winner over No. 5 Alabama, on Sunday for the tournament title. The Vols and the winner of that semifinal likely wind up with No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament — only fitting for the nation’s best league.
Jordan Gainey added 15 points for the Vols, and Chaz Lanier had 12.
The Tigers (28-5) go home losers of three of their last four games.
SEC player of the year Johni Broome led Auburn with 23 points, Miles Kelly added 13 and Denver Jones had 10.
Auburn led 33-32 at halftime thanks to a late 10-0 spurt. The Tigers last led at 48-47.
Tennessee: The Vols are playing in their fourth final in the last seven tournaments. They won in Tampa in 2022 and lost the title game in both 2018 and 2019. They improved to 12-8 in this tournament under coach Rick Barnes, who got his 833rd career victory.
Auburn: The Tigers came in looking for a fourth tournament title and third under coach Bruce Pearl. Not only did they win with Pearl last year and in 2019, they also won in 1985.
Tennessee never trailed after a 13-1 run to go up 60-49 capped by Zeigler's 3 from the top of the circle with 7:17 left.
The Vols had an edge at the free-throw line, making 25 of 27, including 18 of 20 in the second half. Auburn was 13 of 22. Jahmai Mashack sealed the win with 14 seconds left with the final pair.
Auburn will see where it lands in the NCAA Tournament Sunday. Tennessee split with Florida during the regular season.
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Auburn forward Ja'Heim Hudson, right bottom and Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) celebrates after a basket against Auburn during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid relinquished a two-goal lead in its 4-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league on Sunday in another setback for the club after it was eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Playing at the Metropolitano stadium four days after it lost to Madrid in a penalty shootout, Atletico led Barcelona 2-0 at halftime but conceded a pair of stoppage-time goals to waste a chance to overtake the Catalan club for second place and move within a point of league leader Madrid.
“It was a weird game, we did well in the first half and had the game under control after scoring twice,” Atletico player Marcos Llorente said. “I do think that the 120 minutes that we had to play in the Champions League made a difference, there was a letdown in the end.”
The defeat left Atletico four points behind its two rivals in the league, with Barcelona having a game in hand. Madrid won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday.
Lamine Yamal scored two minutes into stoppage time and Ferran Torres six minutes later to give Barcelona the gritty come-from-behind victory.
“It’s a statement win for us, allowing us to regain the lead with a game in hand,” Yamal said.
Julián Álvarez had put Atletico ahead after a breakaway just before halftime. It had been an unusual double touch by Álvarez in the penalty shootout against Madrid that led to Atletico's elimination from the Champions League on Wednesday.
Atletico added to the lead with a goal by substitute Alexander Sorloth from inside the area in the 70th. Robert Lewandowski, the league's leading scorer, gave Barcelona hope by finding the net in the 72nd, and Torres equalized with a header after a cross by Raphinha in the 78th.
“We have to congratulate them,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “There was a bit of luck, which you must have sometimes. We had a few chances in counterattacks but didn’t take advantage of them. Barcelona is a great team."
Atletico beat Barcelona 2-1 when the teams met in Barcelona in their first Spanish league match of the season in December. They drew 4-4 in a first-leg match in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey last month. The second leg is in April.
Athletic Bilbao solidified its fourth place with a 1-0 win at Sevilla.
Yeray Álvarez scored with a header in the 84th to give Athletic the away victory and an eight-point gap to fifth-placed Villarreal, which has a game in hand.
It was Athletic's second win in a row after three straight matches without a victory across all tournaments. It came off a 3-1 win over Roma to reach the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
Sixth-placed Real Betis rallied from two goals down at halftime to win 3-2 at relegation-threatened Leganes, with Cucho Hernández scoring the winner in the 82nd.
The hosts had taken the lead with Dani Raba scoring in the 29th and 44th before Betis equalized through Isco in the 64th and Cédric Bakambu in the 78th.
It was the third straight victory for Betis in all competitions, and the second loss in a row for 18th-placed Leganes.
Also Sunday, ninth-placed Rayo Vallecano drew 2-2 at home with 12th-placed Real Sociedad, which is winless in six consecutive games in all competitions. Rayo is winless in five straight league matches.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, top, heads the ball past Barcelona's Marc Casado during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, second from left, is congratulated after scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez (19) celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez (19) scores his side's opening goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, is congratulated by Lamine Yamal after scoring his side's 4th goal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's players celebrate their side's third goal scored by Lamine Yamal during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's players celebrate their side's 4th goal scored by Ferran Torres during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
