K.D. Johnson didn't want to leave Starkville with a loss. He showed that, scoring 12 of No. 5 Auburn's 20 points in overtime, as the Tigers (26-4, 14-3) pulled away from Mississippi State (17-13, 8-9) for an 81-68 victory to clinch a share of the SEC regular-season title.
"That's just the type of player he is," Jabari Smith said. "He's got extreme confidence, and we've got extreme confidence in him."
After the Bulldogs' Garrison Brooks made a free throw to start the extra period, Johnson scored seven straight points to give the Tigers a six-point lead. Two Tolu Smith free throws cut the deficit to four, and a steal by State looked like it would cut it to two. However, Walker Kessler made sure that wasn't the case as he blocked the layup. Zep Jasper found a wide-open Johnson on the other side of the court, and the guard made the layup and got fouled.
A jumper by Jabari Smith, who tied the game at 61 to force overtime, gave Auburn a 73-66 lead with 1:57 left. Jasper and Johnson made a combined five free throws before Jabari got a step on his defender and slammed it down while getting fouled to put the statement down on the game.
Johnson scored just two points leading up to overtime but knew that it was time for him to show what he was capable of with the game on the line.
“You know, I was struggling in the first half, and my coaches and my teammates were just picking me, and they were just telling me, ‘It’s March time,’ you know?," Johnson said. "It’s the time when all the special players show up. So, you know, I just decided to come through for my teammates, make the play and get the win.”
He might have also been given a little encouragement from the bench by imitating the sophomore in front of him.
"They just show me the faces I be making to get hyped up," Johnson said. "They make them at me so they can turn me up even more."
Bruce Pearl also was aware of what was apparent in Johnson's eyes.
"K.D. took the game over," the Auburn coach said. "I think that's a function of his ability, his courage. He's not afraid to fail. It was just K.D. time. And everyone saw it."
The Tigers trailed by as much as five in the second half after leading by 19 in the first, struggling while scoring just 21 points in the final 20 minutes. The Bulldogs out-rebounded Auburn 50-32, including coming down with 21 offensive boards.
Auburn returns to Auburn Arena for the home finale on Saturday with a chance to clinch the outright title as the Tigers host South Carolina. The game begins at noon C.T. and airs on SEC Network.
