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Dalton Knecht and the Tennessee Volunteers came up with a critical SEC win over the Auburn Tigers, winning 92-84 at home.
With the victory, the Vols are atop the conference with a 22-6 overall record (12-3 in-conference), but they're just half a game ahead of second-place Alabama. The win goes a long way to make sure they get a favorable seeding in March Madness.
On that note, how did Tennessee star Dalton Knecht perform on the night? Here's a look at his stats in the win.
Dalton Knecht vs. Auburn
In a game that was back-and-forth until the second half, the sweet-shooting Knecht lit up the Auburn Tigers on 12-21 shooting from the field. He also had 10-12 free throws and shot 5-of-8 from downtown, also grabbing two rebounds and three steals against just one turnover all game.
It was a masterclass for Dalton Knecht, who was instrumental in Tennessee's second-half run that allowed them to finally get a cushion on Auburn. He was relatively quiet during the first half.
Big man Jonas Aidoo took the slack (14 points, seven rebounds, one block in the game). Knecht had just three field goals during the first 20 minutes.
In the second half, he just kept swinging, with the Tigers struggling to contain him every time down the floor. Knecht's 3-point shooting helped the Vols overcome a 63-58 deficit before his finishing around the basket was the knockout blow to the Tigers in the final moments.
What happened in this game was what Auburn HC Bruce Pearl worried the most about. Dalton Knecht beat them, and he beat them good.
Will Dalton Knecht make a run for NPOY?
The sharpshooting senior guard out of Thornton, CO, has been on an absolute tear this season.
He has had five 30-plus-point games and is averaging an excellent 20.1 PPG on 47.7% FG shooting. As one of the best scorers in the nation, many believe that Knecht could challenge reigning Wooden Award winner Zach Edey for the plum this year.
Knecht is up there with other Wooden contenders in UNC's RJ Davis and Dayton's DaRon Holmes. Some pundits even believe that the Vols guard is a better player than Edey, reckoning that Knecht is Edey's toughest rival for the NPOY award this year.
Nevertheless, the Tennessee Volunteers should be glad that they have Knecht on their roster heading into the postseason.
