Ezra Manjon made a go-ahead layup with 0.8 seconds remaining in the second half to fuel host Vanderbilt to a 67-65 victory over Auburn on Saturday in a Southeastern Conference game in Nashville, Tenn.
K.D. Johnson sank a 3-pointer for the Tigers to forge a tie at 65-65 with 10 seconds remaining in the second half. Manjon, however, went the length of the court before converting his layup attempt high off the glass for the game’s final points.
SEC Player of the Week Liam Robbins collected 24 points and 12 rebounds to pace Vanderbilt. The reigning SEC Player of the Week overcame a 3-for-10 shooting performance from the floor by sinking 17 of 20 shots from the free-throw line.
Tyrin Lawrence recorded nine points and six assists for the Commodores (15-12, 8-6), who have won five consecutive conference games for the first time since February 2015. Vanderbilt also snapped a five-game losing skid in the series.
Johni Broome scored 20 points and Jaylin Williams added 17 for the Tigers (18-9, 8-6), who have lost six of their last eight games.
Wendell Green Jr. made one of two free throws to give Auburn a 62-61 lead with 1:53 remaining in the second half. Robbins, however, recorded his eighth offensive rebound before making a pair of free throws with 1:03 left.
Williams misfired on a 3-pointer and Manjon sank a pair of free throws to extend Vanderbilt’s lead to 65-52. Johnson countered with a 3-pointer to level the contest with 10 seconds left.
Broome scored eight of Auburn’s first 10 points of the second half to give his team a 37-36 lead.
Auburn held a brief 6-5 lead before Vanderbilt responded by scoring the game’s next 10 points, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Myles Stute and one from Trey Thomas.
The Tigers chipped away and trimmed the Commodores’ lead to 31-27 after Allen Flanigan drained a 3-pointer just before time expired to end the first half.
–Field Level Media
