NCAAB · Final

Auburn Edges Kentucky in Nail-Biting Finish

Saturday, February 21, 2026, 8:38 PM ET · Neville Arena

Auburn Tigers 75, Kentucky Wildcats 74, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Kentucky Wildcats vs Auburn Tigers?

Auburn Tigers beat Kentucky Wildcats 75-74 at Neville Arena on February 21, 2026.

Who was favored in Kentucky Wildcats vs Auburn Tigers?

Auburn Tigers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -180 (about 64% implied). The favorite won.

In a thrilling contest at Neville Arena, the Auburn Tigers narrowly defeated the Kentucky Wildcats with a final score of 75-74. This matchup was significant not only for the close scoreline but also for the implications it holds in the NCAAB landscape, as both teams are vying for a stronger position in their conference. The Tigers, with a home record of 15-12, faced off against the Wildcats, who entered the game with an away record of 17-10.

Auburn's recent form has been less than ideal, having lost their last five games, which contributed to a 4-6 record over their last ten outings. During this stretch, they averaged 78.4 points scored while allowing 80.2 points per game. Their home performance was slightly better, with a home record of 2-2 in their last ten games, but they struggled significantly in their last five matches, averaging 79.4 points scored and 87.2 points allowed.

On the other hand, Kentucky had a more favorable recent performance, boasting a record of 7-3 in their last ten games, although they entered this game on a two-game losing streak. The Wildcats averaged 78.1 points scored and allowed 77.9 points during this stretch. Their away record of 3-2 in the last five games indicated a solid performance on the road, despite the recent losses.

Historically, the teams had met once prior in the 2025 season, where Auburn secured a convincing 94-78 victory over Kentucky. This prior success may have added an extra layer of motivation for the Tigers heading into this matchup.

In terms of injuries, the block does not specify any key players missing for either team, suggesting that both squads were at full strength for this critical game.

The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Auburn favored by 3.5 points, with a total set at 153.5. The odds indicated a competitive matchup, reflecting the close nature of the teams' performances leading up to the game. Auburn's moneyline was listed at -180.0, while Kentucky's was at 150.0, further illustrating the expectation of a tightly contested battle.

The game conditions were conducive to an exciting atmosphere, with both teams needing a win to bolster their confidence as they head toward the latter part of the season. Viewers were treated to a back-and-forth contest, with key scoring plays in the second half that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Notable moments included Otega Oweh's free throws and dunk, which briefly gave Kentucky the lead before Auburn's Elyjah Freeman sealed the game with a crucial tip-in layup.

In conclusion, Auburn's hard-fought victory over Kentucky not only showcased their resilience but also highlighted the competitive nature of college basketball, where every game can shift the momentum as teams approach the postseason.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	AUB -3.5	153.5 o -112 / u -108	Kentucky Wildcats +150 · Auburn Tigers -180

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsKeShawn Murphy25Auburn Tigers
AssistsKeyshawn Hall7Auburn Tigers
ReboundsKeShawn Murphy10Auburn Tigers
PointsOtega Oweh29Kentucky Wildcats
AssistsMalachi Moreno4Kentucky Wildcats
ReboundsOtega Oweh7Kentucky Wildcats

Recent form

Auburn Tigers

Last 10: 4-6Streak L578.4 scored · 80.2 allowed per game2-2 at home

L85-91at Mississippi State BulldogsFeb 19
L75-88at Arkansas RazorbacksFeb 15
L76-84vs Vanderbilt CommodoresFeb 11
L92-96vs Alabama Crimson TideFeb 7
L69-77at Tennessee VolunteersFeb 1
W88-82vs Texas LonghornsJan 29
W76-67at Florida GatorsJan 24
W78-66at Ole Miss RebelsJan 21
W71-67vs South Carolina GamecocksJan 17
L74-84at Missouri TigersJan 15

Kentucky Wildcats

Last 10: 7-3Streak L278.1 scored · 77.9 allowed per game3-2 away

L78-86vs Georgia BulldogsFeb 18
L83-92at Florida GatorsFeb 14
W74-71vs Tennessee VolunteersFeb 8
W94-78vs Oklahoma SoonersFeb 5
W85-77at Arkansas RazorbacksJan 31
L55-80at Vanderbilt CommodoresJan 28
W72-63vs Ole Miss RebelsJan 24
W85-80vs Texas LonghornsJan 22
W80-78at Tennessee VolunteersJan 17
W75-74at LSU TigersJan 15

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Florida	27-8	-	16-2
Arkansas	28-9	3	13-5
Alabama	25-10	3	13-5
Vanderbilt	27-9	5	11-7
Tennessee	25-12	5	11-7
Texas A&M	22-12	5	11-7
Georgia	22-11	6	10-8
Kentucky	22-14	6	10-8
Missouri	20-13	6	10-8
Texas	21-15	7	9-9
Auburn	22-16	9	7-11
Oklahoma	21-16	9	7-11
Mississippi State	13-19	11	5-13
Ole Miss	15-20	12	4-14
South Carolina	13-19	12	4-14
LSU	15-17	13	3-15

Box score

Stat	Kentucky Wildcats	Auburn Tigers
Field goals	27-65	25-62
Field goal %	42	40
Three-pointers	6-23	5-19
Three-point %	26	26
Free throws	14-17	20-24
Free throw %	82	83
Rebounds	38	33
Offensive rebounds	17	13
Defensive rebounds	21	20
Assists	15	12
Steals	7	9
Blocks	3	5
Turnovers	14	11
Team turnovers	1	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	10	17
Fast-break points	13	10
Points in the paint	36	40
Fouls	19	14
Largest lead	9	6
Lead changes	11	11
Time in front	43	45

How the scoring went

2nd Half46-37Otega Oweh makes 1-foot dunk (Collin Chandler assists)
2nd Half46-39KeShawn Murphy makes layup
2nd Half46-41KeShawn Murphy makes driving layup (Tahaad Pettiford assists)
2nd Half46-44Tahaad Pettiford makes 25-foot three point jumper
2nd Half47-44Otega Oweh makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half48-44Otega Oweh makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half48-46Elyjah Freeman makes 2-foot dunk (Keyshawn Hall assists)
2nd Half48-47Filip Jović makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half50-47Brandon Garrison makes layup
2nd Half53-47Denzel Aberdeen makes 28-foot three point jumper
2nd Half53-49Elyjah Freeman makes 11-foot jumper
2nd Half53-51KeShawn Murphy makes driving layup (Keyshawn Hall assists)
2nd Half53-53KeShawn Murphy makes driving layup (Keyshawn Hall assists)
2nd Half53-54KeShawn Murphy makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half53-55KeShawn Murphy makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half53-57Kevin Overton makes driving layup (KeShawn Murphy assists)
2nd Half54-57Mouhamed Dioubate makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half55-57Mouhamed Dioubate makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half55-59Kevin Overton makes 13-foot jumper
2nd Half57-59Otega Oweh makes driving layup
2nd Half59-59Otega Oweh makes driving layup
2nd Half59-61KeShawn Murphy makes layup
2nd Half60-61Malachi Moreno makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half60-63Keyshawn Hall makes driving layup
2nd Half60-64Keyshawn Hall makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half60-66KeShawn Murphy makes 3-foot dunk (Keyshawn Hall assists)
2nd Half63-66Denzel Aberdeen makes 26-foot three point jumper
2nd Half63-67Keyshawn Hall makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half63-68Keyshawn Hall makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half66-68Otega Oweh makes 23-foot three point jumper (Malachi Moreno assists)
2nd Half68-68Otega Oweh makes driving layup
2nd Half68-71KeShawn Murphy makes 26-foot three point jumper
2nd Half69-71Otega Oweh makes free throw 2 of 3
2nd Half70-71Otega Oweh makes free throw 3 of 3
2nd Half72-71Otega Oweh makes 2-foot dunk (Brandon Garrison assists)
2nd Half73-71Denzel Aberdeen makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half74-71Denzel Aberdeen makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half74-72Tahaad Pettiford makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half74-73Tahaad Pettiford makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half74-75Elyjah Freeman makes 0-foot tip in layup