No. 2 Auburn was on the ropes with its best player injured and trailing at South Carolina. It was the Tigers’ defense that stepped up.

Auburn held the Gamecocks without a point for the final 5:18 of the game to hold on for a 66-63 win Saturday afternoon at Colonial Life Arena.

"They didn’t score the last five minutes of the game and that’s what wound up winning us the game," AU coach Bruce Pearl told the Auburn Network. "Without or leader, without our best player, the guys stepped up and found a way."

The Tigers improve to 15-1 overall and 3-0 in the SEC.

Freshman Tahaad Pettiford drove through the lane and found Dylan Cardwell for a dunk with 1:32 left to give Auburn a 64-63 lead.

USC’s Nick Pringle missed a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds left and Pettiford extended the lead to three points making both of his free throws with 4.4 seconds left.

A last-second 3-point attempt by USC’s Morris Ugusuk missed wide.

All-American Johni Broome was helped off the floor after injuring his left ankle with 13:45 left in the second half and AU trailing 47-45. The Tigers responded immediately with Chaney Johnson making a 3-pointer and Chad Baker-Mazara getting a steal and layup to put AU up 50-47.

AU held USC to 23 points in the second half after giving up 40 in the first.

"We did not do a good job in the first half defensively, but in the second half, they only scored 23 points. They were on pace to score 80. That was the difference in the game, our guys finding a way," said Pearl.

Pettiford led AU with 15 points. Miles Kelly added 14 points and six rebounds, Johnson nine points and four rebounds, and Baker-Mazara eight points and five rebounds.

Broome finished with six points on 3 of 11 shooting and three rebounds.

“Miles Kelly played really, really well. Stepped up in a big, big way,” said Pearl. “With the game on the line, Tahaad Pettiford is going to be out there making plays for himself and for others. He’s not afraid of the moment.”

USC out-rebounded AU 37-33 including 15 offensive boards. USC also had a 42-30 edge in points in the paint as Collin Murray-Boles finished with 25 points and seven rebounds.

"I thought South Carolina’s size and physicality really bothered us even with Johni," said Pearl.

AU had 12 points off nine USC turnovers and held the Gamecocks to 38.5 percent shooting in the second half.

Auburn hosts No. 14 Mississippi State Tuesday night at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.