An All-Auburn win

AUBURN | It was the ultimate payoff for PearlVille and a super-charged Auburn Arena.

The 2nd-ranked Tigers used a dominating second half to rally for an 80-71 win over No. 12 Kentucky.

Shortly after the buzzer, AU’s players rushed to celebrate with a student section that spent a freezing-cold night huddled in tents just outside the arena.

“To me, it feel like a movie,” said K.D. Johnson, who finished with 17 points. “I've never played in nothing like this, it's just so fun.

“They camped out yesterday and I went out yesterday to go show my appreciation and take a picture with them. I love them.”

Auburn, which came up just a few votes short in last week’s poll, will look to Monday and the possibility of its first No. 1 ranking in school history. But Saturday will be a day of celebration.

What started at the arena quickly spilled over to Toomer’s Corner and is bound to continue late into the night in this most college of college towns.

"It’s fun,” said Pearl. “Jabari (Smith) even said to me, ‘Coach, this is going to get you to smile, right?’ But my job is to train this team and to keep some things in perspective.

“I am grateful to Auburn. I am grateful to our students. If we’d of lost the game, I would have felt bad for them because they froze their asses off last night.”

Auburn’s 15th consecutive win improves its record to 18-1 overall and 7-0 in the SEC, alone in first place. Kentucky falls to 15-4 and 5-2.

Walker Kessler led Auburn with 19 points, which included seven dunks. He added seven rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots. Smith had 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Wendell Green added 11 and five assists.

The Tigers trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half but closed the lead to 33-29 at the break on back-to-back dunks by Kessler.

Auburn took the lead early in the second half on three free throws baby Smith, which was part of a 12-2 run, and stretched it to a nine-point advantage midway through the the half with an 8-0 run, which was capped by a dunk from Kessler.

The Tigers made 21 of 23 free throws in the second half to seal the win.

“The atmosphere is electric, they're loud,” said Kessler. “We wouldn't be in the position where we are right now if it wasn't for the fans. Big gratitude on our part to them."

The Tigers are back in action Tuesday night at Missouri. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.