AUBURN, Ala. — Tennessee was on the cusp of something it hadn't done in 17 years.

After Chaz Lanier turned another Vols' defensive stand into a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:10 left at Neville Arena late Saturday, it began to feel like they were closing in on just their third road win over a No. 1 team in program history.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

The Vols had the lead, then extended it, heading into the final two minutes four. But Miles Kelly's corner three with 30 seconds left put top-ranked Auburn ahead for good and Tennessee's would-be historic triumph ended in a 53-51 loss.

The Vols (17-3, 4-3 SEC), playing visitor in one of the toughest venues in the country, brought the favored Tigers (18-0, 6-0) down into the mud, turning the most high-profile match up of the weekend into a slugfest.

Both teams combined for just seven 3-pointers and shot just 31% from the field. But in the end, it was Kelly's shot that was the difference.

Zakai Zeigler, who finished with team-high 14 points, missed the game-winning three in the final seconds. Lanier finished with 10.

Jordan Gainey and Johni Broome were good to go afterall.

Tennessee's sixth man, who was dealing with flu-like symptoms and the star Auburn forward who had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, both checked in off the bench less than three minutes into the first half.

That was probably the most interesting part of the early-going of the most anticipated clash in college basketball on Saturday. The Vols opened 0-for-5 from the field and the Tigers were shooting just 22% by the 15:11 mark of the first half.

In that same span, both teams had combined for five fouls and Tennessee had to burn a timeout right out of the first media timeout to avoid a turnover. That possession ended in a jump ball and went the other way, but Auburn again came up empty-handed.

Felix Okpara provided the Vols with their first field goal, bringing down a lob pass from Zakai Zeigler for a dunk to even the score for the second time at 4-4. Then Tennessee turned the ball over three times in two minutes and went that long without a basket, allowing Auburn to pull ahead, 8-4 with just under 12 minutes to go in the half.

Jahmai Mashack ended that scoring drought with a put-back on an offensive board and a forced turnover led to a Chaz Lanier dunk in transition to draw the Vols even at 10-10. Broome answered with a 3-pointer to put the Tigers back in front. It was the first three for either team after going a combined 0-for-12 from deep.

Tennessee responded after an Auburn run, putting together a 6-0 stretch of its own that included an Okpara score over Broome and a Gainey put-back for a 16-16 tie with 3:56 left.

Auburn was teetering on another run just before the half, but back-to-back jumpers from Zeigler on consecutive possessions kept the Vols in a dead-heat, instead. The Tigers took a 22-20 lead into the intermission.

Despite Tennessee going 0-for-11 from three-point range and turning the ball over eight times, it trailed by just one possession on the road going into the second half. But Auburn came out swinging.

Two scores from Broome stretched Auburn's lead and a Vols turnover gave it the ball back. Then Lanier stepped in front of a pass and took it the other way, finishing with a dunk and opening the way for a 6-0 run that provided Tennessee with its first lead since the 13:48 mark of the first half at 28-26 after a Mashack put-back.

Auburn went back in front, re-gaining some momentum on its home floor before Lanier buried a deep, game-tying 3-pointer--the Vols' first with 12:10 left--that brought the score to 33-33. Tennessee was previously 0-for-14.

Minutes later, Gainey uncorked another--this one from the corner. It was followed by an Okapra score off of a Tigers turnover to give the Vols a 38-37 edge with inside of nine minutes left.

Auburn went back in front on a Miles Kelly three, just the second for the Tigers and free throws opened up a five-point lead. But Tennessee clapped back again.

Zeigler drove to the basket and finished with a layup. After the Vols forced another turnover, Gainey knocked down his second 3-pointer and Tennessee was back to even at 45-45 and 4:43 to go.

Auburn went up two after Chaney Johnson scored and were looking to go up two possessions when Okpara swatted a Broome shot that ended up instead in the hands of Zeigler.

Zeigler dished the ball over to Lanier, who fired off a three that again put Tennessee in the lead, 48-47 with less than three minute remaining. Free throws from Zeigler and Mashack pushed the Vols' lead to 51-47.

Auburn had a chance to tie after Gainey picked up his fifth foul to send Broome to the line, but he missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Tennessee had the ball with inside of a minute left.

A possession where the Vols needed to run some clock and at least draw a foul in the bonus ended in a turnover and Kelly, who was 1-of-3 from three-point range, laced his second from the corner off of an offensive rebound to put Auburn in front, 52-51.

Tennessee had two chances to tie or take the lead, but missed on both opportunities.

After playing four of its last six games on the road, Tennessee will at least get to finish off a difficult stretch in Knoxville.

The Vols host No. 9 Kentucky in the first of two games against the Wildcats at Food City Center on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) and then get No. 5 Florida in a rematch at home next Saturday.

Kentucky (14-5, 3-3) has lost two-straight, including a 74-69 defeat at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Tennessee went 1-1 against the Wildcats last season, winning in Lexington and losing the second game in Knoxville.

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.