Despite having two games left on the schedule, No. 1 Auburn has secured the SEC regular season championship and Chad Baker-Mazara is a large part of the reason why.

With Denver Jones leaving the game less than 10 minutes in due to a leg injury and Johni Broome having one of his worst performances of the season against Kentucky on Saturday, Baker-Mazara was one of the Tigers who stepped up.

He scored 22 points – placing him No. 2 on the team behind Miles Kelly’s 30 – with two rebounds and three steals. Baker-Mazara shot 6-of-12 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

“I think he's healthier now,” AU coach Bruce Pearl said of Baker-Mazara. “Chad Baker is one of the best all-around players in the country. What he can do on both ends of the floor. What he can do scoring the ball, as well as play-making. How he can defend off the ball and on the ball when he wants to. You have to have some upside at this time of the year.”

Baker-Mazara was among a group of players highlighted by Pearl who have stepped up their level of play lately, something that he hopes carries over to the team as a whole. With the SEC and NCAA Tournaments approaching, the Tigers hope their best basketball is still in front of them.

“Miles Kelly showed us upside. I think Chad showed us upside last week. Tahaad showed us upside in that game,” Pearl said. “And that's what you have to have this time of the year, is how much more upside does each team have?”

As has been said many times, success in the NCAA Tournament is all about getting hot at the right time. If the Tigers can do that, it will be a month to remember on the Plains.

Baker-Mazara and the rest of the Tigers return to action on Tuesday night, taking on No. 22 Texas A&M on the road. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT and ESPN will carry the broadcast.