Auburn 79, South Carolina 74: Chris Denson and KT Harrell each scored 25 points as the visiting Tigers survived blowing a 16-point second-half lead to win their third in a row.

Denson finished 8-for-12 from the field with three 3-pointers for Auburn (11-9, 3-6 SEC), which has won three consecutive conference games in the same season for the first time in five years. Harrell hit 9-of-18 field-goal attempts as the Tigers shot 52.7 percent from the field.

Brenton Williams scored 29 points on 10-for-14 shooting, hitting six 3-pointers, to lead South Carolina (8-14, 1-8). Mindaugas Kacinas recorded a career-high 14 points and Duane Notice added 12 as the Gamecocks lost their second in a row since recording their lone conference victory Jan. 29 against Texas A&M.

Denson scored six points and Harrell added five points during a 16-2 surge early in the second half, capped by Allen Payne’s 3-point shot with 13:20 to play that pushed the Tigers’ advantage to 60-44. Williams answered by scoring 12 of South Carolina’s next 16 points, and Kacinas’ layup with 7:50 remaining evened the score at 62.

Denson scored five consecutive points – on a three-point play and two free throws – to give Auburn a 69-63 lead. The Gamecocks pulled within 77-74 on Williams’ sixth 3-pointer of the night with 23 seconds remaining, but two Tahj Shamsid-Deen free throws six seconds later sealed the victory.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Auburn led by seven with 1:45 to go in the first half before Williams hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to draw the Gamecocks within 38-35 at the break. … Williams just missed season highs in points (32) and 3-pointers (seven), both marks coming Jan. 25 at Missouri. … The Tigers shot 16-for-20 at the free-throw line, while South Carolina struggled in shooting 13-for-22.