AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Freshman forward Jabari Smith scored a season-high 31 points and made seven 3-pointers to lead No. 2 Auburn to a 94-80 victory over Vanderbilt on Wednesday night.
Walker Kessler added 22 points to help the Tigers (24-2, 12-1 Southeastern Conference) overcome a slow start against the Commodores (13-12, 5-8).
It was close most of the way but Vandy had no answer for Auburn's two star big men.
The 6-foot-10 Smith was 7 of 10 from 3-point range while Kessler handled much of the work inside. Kessler blocked seven shots and had seven rebounds while shooting 8 of 10 in a follow-up to his second triple-double of the season.
Auburn also got 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds from Wendell Green Jr.
Scotty Pippen Jr., the SEC's leading scorer, almost kept pace with Smith. He led Vandy with 29 points and made 14 of 16 free throws. Jordan Wright scored 15.
The Commodores got off to a great start, scoring the first 11 points — with a technical against Auburn coach Bruce Pearl as a bonus. The Tigers closed the gap with Smith's 12 straight points.
They didn't take their first lead until the final minute of the first half but went into the locker room up 42-38.
The 6-foot-10 Smith hit three 3s early in the second half to help Auburn keep up that momentum and eventually build a 20-point lead.
The Tigers made 17 of 24 shots in the second half, a torrid 70.8%.
Commodores starting guard Rodney Chatman missed the game with a hamstring injury. Coach Jerry Stackhouse went with three big men, starting graduate transfer center Liam Robbins for the first time. He had played in only three games and totaled one point coming off a foot injury but scored seven in this one.
BIG PICTURE
Vanderbilt: Hung close with another top team much of the way, just as the Commodores did in single-digit losses to No. 4 Kentucky and No. 16 Tennessee. But the outcome was another loss and ultimately not a particularly close one.
Auburn: Has struggled against some unranked teams lately and did early in this one, but the Tigers looked unstoppable in stretches. They made 11 of 22 3-pointers and shot 31 of 53 (58.5%) overall.
UP NEXT
Vanderbilt hosts Texas A&M on Saturday night.
Auburn visits Florida, which has lost two straight, on Saturday.
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