NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Auburn shot 51.9 percent in the second half to control the narrative and leave Memorial Gymnasium with a 73-67 win Tuesday over Vanderbilt.
The Commodores had a 25-23 lead at the break, but Auburn made six of its nine triples in the second 20 minutes and led by as many as 11 in the waning moments.
Dylan Disu led Vandy with his fourth double-double of the season. The sophomore scored 18 and brought down 10 rebounds. Jordan Wright scored 14.
Before fouling out with five minutes to play, Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 12 points and collected four boards.
The Commodores go back on the road at noon Saturday to face Mississippi State (11-9, 5-6 SEC).
Vanderbilt began Tuesday’s game on an 8-0 run as the Tigers missed their first six shots and went the first 3:34 without a point. The Dores couldn’t take full advantage of Auburn’s slow start (2-for-14) and watched a 12-4 lead shrink to 12-10 after back-to-back 3s from Chris Moore and Jamal Johnson, respectively.
It became Vanderbilt’s turn to go dry from the field and six straight points from Johnson put the Tigers up 16-12.
Back-to-back buckets from Disu put the Commodores ahead 17-16 and then a Disu dunk followed by an Evans 3 allowed Vandy to take a 25-23 lead into the break.
Both teams combined to shoot 16 of 59 from the field and 7-for-28 from deep.
Neither team could find much separation in the early goings of the second half until a Clevon Brown hook in the paint put Vandy ahead 36-31. Auburn responded with a 12-2 run, thanks in part to a pair of Devan Cambridge 3s, to eke ahead 43-38.
The Tigers stretched the margin to 53-45 with 6:22 left. Trey Thomas helped cut it to 53-48 with a 3-ball from the left wing and Pippen sunk a deep one from the right wing making it 55-51 – but Vandy could get no closer.
Johnson and Sharife Cooper led Auburn (11-10, 5-7 SEC) with 19 each.
• Pippen, Disu, Maxwell Evans, Wright and Brown started Saturday’s game for Vanderbilt – that marked the 11th different starting lineup for Vandy this season.
• Brown registered five blocks Tuesday to move his career total to 121 and move past Julian Terrell (116) for the sixth-most in program history. A.J. Ogilvy is fifth with 145.
• Pippen is the only Commodore to have started all 15 games for Vandy this season.
• Vanderbilt has now made at least four 3s in 30 consecutive games.
• Vandy is now 5-2 when tied or leading at halftime this season and 0-8 when trailing at the break.
• The Dores are now 1-9 this season when held to less than 75 points.
• The Commodores are now 89-55 in the all-time series against Auburn and 10-2 in the last 12 inside Memorial Gymnasium. Vandy is now 51-18 all-time against the Tigers at home.
