The Comeback Kids

When Auburn beat Kentucky, it marked the No. 1 Tigers' fourth double-digit comeback win. So... how does a relatively young team keep doing this?

SG K.D. Johnson (Matthew Shannon/Auburn Athletics)

No one was open, so Wendell Green Jr. tried to create something out of nothing. And when his long stepback 3-pointer was off-target, Kentucky was running yet again.

Oscar Tshiebwe started the fast break with a quick defensive rebound and outlet pass. During the quick change of possession, the 5-foot-11 Green found himself having to guard the 6-foot-7 Keion Brooks. Dylan Cardwell came over to help Green, even blocking Brooks’ shot, but that left Tshiebwe open for an easy putback.

Auburn went from up by three to, now, down by 10 in less than three minutes of game time. The offense was either stagnant in the half-court or turning the ball over, and the defense wasn’t slowing down Kentucky from getting the looks it wanted.

The most-anticipated basketball game in the history of Auburn Arena — and, perhaps, the most-anticipated regular-season game in program history — had quickly gone from a deafening party atmosphere to an uneasy environment.

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