The team likely to take the top spot in the next set of rankings had its hands full with the lowest SEC team in the NET rankings on Saturday.

South Carolina went into halftime with a 40-34 lead, but Auburn held the Gamecocks to just 23 second-half points to pull off the comeback win, tying the game with 15:34 left and taking the lead for good on a Dylan Cardwell dunk with 1:32 left to go ahead 64-63.

Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 15 points, while Miles Kelly had 14 and six rebounds. Cardwell had a team-high seven rebounds.

Auburn leading scorer and rebounder Johni Broome was diagnosed with an ankle sprain that will not require surgery after exiting the game early.

Collin Murray-Boyles led South Carolina with 25 points to go with seven rebounds, while Arden Conyers added 13 points off the bench and Nick Pringle had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, including five offensive boards.

Auburn shot 26-of-57 (45.61 percent) from the field, 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) from 3 and 6-of-12 (50 percent) from the free-throw line.

South Carolina shot 25-of-61 (40.98 percent) overall, 4-of-16 (25 percent) from deep and 9-of-16 (56.25 percent) from the line.

No. 2 Auburn (15-1, 3-0) - which is likely to move up to No. 1 today - will host No. 14 Mississippi State (14-2, 2-1) at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

South Carolina (10-6, 0-3) will play at Vanderbilt (13-3, 1-2) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.