Johni Broome had 26 points and 16 rebounds and No. 1 Auburn won its 12th consecutive game by defeating LSU 87-74 on Wednesday night in Baton Rouge, La.
Miles Kelly added 13 points, Chad Baker-Mazara scored 11 and Tahaad Pettiford had 10.
Auburn (19-1, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) had an easier time than it had in its last three road victories, which came by two points (Georgia), three points (South Carolina) and five (Texas). Auburn built a 12-point halftime lead and maintained at least a five-point advantage throughout the second half.
Cam Carter scored 24, Dji Bailey added 13 and Jordan Sears scored 11 to lead LSU (12-8, 1-6).
Denver Jones made a 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and give Auburn a 44-29 lead. Carter made a 3-pointer and Corey Chest added a putback and a layup to help LSU get within eight points, but Auburn answered with six consecutive points.
Sears converted a four-point play and added a 3-pointer to help LSU creep within 55-50. Pettiford and Chaney Johnson each made a 3-pointer and Auburn extended the lead to 63-52.
LSU closed within six points twice before Broome scored four points to help Auburn rebuild the lead to 77-66. LSU got within nine, but Johnson made a 3-pointer with 3:24 left to restore a 12-point margin.
LSU recorded the first six points of the game before Kelly scored eight points to help Auburn pull even at 14. Jones made a layup to tie the score at 16 and start a 12-0 run that gave Auburn a 26-16 lead.
Sears’ layup ended a four-minute scoring drought for LSU and Carter followed with two free throws that reduced the deficit to six points. Baker-Mazara converted a three-point play as Auburn pushed the lead to 33-22.
Auburn took its biggest lead of 13 points before holding a 41-29 lead at halftime. It took control in part because of a 15-8 advantage in points off turnovers after LSU turned the ball over 15 times and it also held a 24-10 edge in points in the paint.
–Field Level Media
