AUBURN | Going into last week’s game against undefeated LSU, a lot of the pregame talk centered around the visiting Tigers’ suffocating defense.

But it was Auburn that held LSU to a season-low 55 points and scored 70, the most by any of LSU's opponents this season.

Tuesday night was Auburn’s first conference road test against a South Carolina team known for its physical and disruptive defense under Frank Martin. Auburn won 81-66, the most points scored against the Gamecocks this season.

It’s just two games into an 18-game SEC schedule, but the 9th-ranked Tigers have passed both tests with flying colors.

“A lot of people say we're not as physical as other teams, but we can be physical, too,” said point guard Wendell Green, who scored a team-high 22 points at USC. “We can come out in hostile environments and stay together. That's probably what I'm so proud about, is we stayed together.

“We've been down 15 a couple of times this year, and they went on a run and cut it to six today. You know, we stayed together. That's just a sign that we can be special this year.”

Auburn, off to a 13-1 start, is allowing an average of just 60.5 points in its first two conference games, which is tied for first with Kentucky. AU is first in the SEC holding opponents to .344 shooting from the floor.

“We're a defensive team. Just starting with that,” said Green. “That's how we're gonna win so many games. We can't rely on making shots every game. Just lock in on the scout and just guard them, and that's what we did tonight.”

But there are plenty more challenges ahead, and Bruce Pearl is not about to start patting himself or his players on the back with conference play just getting started.

"Well, you know, it was good enough. It was good enough,” said Auburn’s eighth-year head coach. “On a night when we didn't really put up big numbers, we were able to really guard them in the first half and turn them over 20 times. Didn't get destroyed on the boards, which you've got to do against South Carolina. Again, I thought our coaches -- Ira Bowman, Mike Burgomaster had the scout. They did a fantastic job. What we did defensively I thought really disrupted South Carolina in the half-court.

“And our depth. Our depth was a factor. Not having Allen Flanigan could have been a factor tonight because of his experience, his physicality, his toughness. Those are things you have to have here at South Carolina. We had another great turnout from the Auburn Family. I would say there were 1,000 Auburn fans in here tonight. We heard them, and we appreciate their support.”

The Tigers return to action Saturday against Florida. Tip-off at Auburn Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN2. That’s followed by back-to-back road games against No. 15 Alabama and Ole Miss next week.