Rob Chubb scored 18 points and Josh Wallace added 17 to give Auburn its first Southeastern Conference win in a 79-64 defeat over South Carolina on Saturday.
The Tigers (8-13, 1-6) lost their first six SEC games by an average of more than 12 points and appeared on their way to another double-digit league loss as South Carolina (12-7, 3-3) cruised to a 15-8 lead.
But the Tigers went on a 17-5 run, taking a lead they would not relinquish.
Auburn's stifling zone and sharp defensive pressure made the difference. South Carolina shot 7 of 33 from outside the arc and managed just 20 points in the paint.
The usually poor shooting Tigers also made 26 of their 34 free throws.
Ramon Galloway led the Gamecocks with 20 points starting for the injured Lakeem Jackson. South Carolina's leading scorer Bruce Ellington was held to nine points.
