After the reserve forwards led a rally from an 8-point second half deficit, Taylor and Marble scored 16 straight points for the Aggies (17-7, 9-2 SEC) in a tough 83-78 win over No. 25 Auburn (17-7, 7-4 SEC) before 10,248 at Reed Arena.

Taylor led all scorers with 22 points while Marble added 20 more. Garcia had a season high 11, while Washington added 6 points and 5 rebounds.

The first half of the game was as physical as most football games between these two teams, with multiple technical fouls and players getting knocked to the court.

While the two teams slugged it out, Auburn’s big men helped them control play. The Tigers grabbed 7 offensive rebounds in the half, setting up multiple second chance opportunities. Auburn outscored the Aggies in the paint 20 to 16, and the Tigers hit 5 of 14 3-point attempts to take a lead as big as 10 points with 4:41 to go in the half.

A&M forward Solomon Washington and Auburn’s Wendell Green (20 points, 6 assists) were hit with technicals after Washington grabbed a rebound under the Aggie basket, and Auburn’s Alan Flannigan was T-ed up later, to the fury of Tigers coach Bruce Pearl.

Washington said the double technicals helped fire off the crowd.

“I thought it was the difference in the game,” he said.

Coach Buzz Williams was impressed by Washington’s performance.

“Solo had such good ju-ju,” he said. “The change in momentum in the first half was due to Solo.”

Spurred on by a large and vocal group of Reed Rowdies, A&M responded with a 12-0 run of their own. Marble scored a pair of baskets in close, while Taylor hit a 3 to tie the score at 34 with 2:24 left in the quarter. Two possessions later, guard Andre Gordon hit a 3 to give the Aggies a 37-34 lead. Auburn would score the final basket of the Hal, giving A&M a 1-point lead going into the locker room.

“That was probably one of our worst halves in SEC play,” Marble said.

The officiating changed totally after halftime, from virtually no calls to the game nearly being hijacked but the officials. Both Marble and guard Dexter Dennis quickly found their way to the bench as A&M’s fouls quickly piled up.

Auburn took advantage, going on a 13-2 run to take a 49-41 lead with 15:36 to go in the game. With Auburn center Johni Broome (18 points, 10 rebounds) dominating the paint, A&M made what seemed like an odd decision — they attacked the paint with Garcia and Washington, players known more for their energy and defense than scoring.

It paid off, as Garcia scored 6 straight points for the Aggies, including four free throws in a row on shooting fouls called on Broome. The second sent Broome to the bench with 4 fouls, changing the complexion of the game.

After Taylor hit two free throws to cut Auburn’s lead to 52-49, Green hit a runner to put Auburn back up 5. Washington then scored off an offensive rebound; after an Auburn basket, Garcia added two more free throws to keep the Tigers lead at 3.

“I thought Solo was tremendous. I thought, arguably, that Andy was the MVP again tonight,” Williams said. “Tonight, he was tremendous again.”

After Washington hit two more free throws to make it a 57-55 game with 10:37 left, Taylor and Marble took over in what became a back-and-forth shootout.

After Taylor made a free throw, Marble tied the game at 57 with one of 31 made free throws for A&M (in a season-high 39 attempts). He would then make a layup to give the Aggies a 64-63 lead before Taylor went on a run of his own.

The point guard hit a 3-pointer to give A&M a 67-65 lead; after Auburn responded with one of their own, Taylor hit a runner in the lane to put A&M back up 1.

Auburn responded with a circus shot from Green, but Taylor was fouled by center Dylan Cardwell on a 3-point shot on A&M’s next possession. Taylor cooly hit all three shots, putting A&M back up 2 with 5:02 left.

The Tigers refused to go away, however. They went to their big man, and Broome responded with a layup and a dunk to put Auburn up 74-72 with 4:06 left. A&M decided to attack Broome again, and Marble went to work.

“I knew (Broome) wasn’t going to be aggressive in the blocks to get that fifth foul, so I took advantage of that,” he said.

The Aggie big man drove the lane for a layup, then cut across to score on a hook shot to put A&M up 76-74 with 2:55 left. He would hit another hook shot, which bounced on the rim four times before finally falling through, to put A&M up 4.

“It was up there for ages,” Williams said. “A lot of things have to go right to beat a team like that.”

Marble said he was already well back down to the court before the ball dropped in.

“I was worried for sure,” he said. “I was looking at it … and it just keeps on bouncing. I was already past half court, so I wasn’t going to get the rebound.”

After Green hit another circus shot to cut A&M’s lead to 2, the Aggies missed their next two shots, giving Auburn a chance to take the lead with under a minute left.

“They made play after play after play, especially (Green),” Williams said.

The Aggie defense made sure Green didn’t make another play, forcing him into a very long 3 attempt that missed everything. Boots Radford (10 points) grabbed the rebound, then sunk both free throws after being fouled with 24 seconds left. Auburn would miss their final two shots, including another airballed 3-pointer, to as the Aggies pulled away.

There were 26 total fouls called in the second half -- 15 against Auburn, 11 against A&M. Auburn was in the bonus with more than 12 minutes left in the game.

Auburn made 47% of their shots; A&M hit 43%. The Tigers also outshot the Aggies from 3, 38% (9-24) to 33% (6-18)

Auburn outscored A&M in the paint 38-32.

A&M out-rebounded Auburn 38-34 and won the offensive rebound battle 13-11.

A&M's bench outscored Auburn's 22-10.