Tahaad Pettiford shows ‘great courage’ for Auburn with sudden role at Kentucky

LEXINGTON,Kentucky—Inahigh-stakesgamelikeSaturday’s,whereAuburnhadanSECtitleontheline,ithelpstohaveafreshmanwhohasshowntimeandagainthisseasonthathedoesn’tfearanysortofopponentorstage.  TahaadPettifordplayedarguablyhismostimportantgameoftheseasonfortheTigers,steppinginforaninjuredDenverJonesanddelivering21points,fourassistsandnoturnoversinNo.1Auburn’schampionship-clinching,94-78victoryatNo.17KentuckyatRuppArena.  “Knowingdeuce(Jones)wasgoingdown,Iwasjusthavingtostepupasafreshman,”Pettifordsaid.“Iwasprepared.Coachputsusinsituationslikethis,sowhenthetimepresenteditself,Iwasready.” Jones,whohadnotonlybeenoneAuburn’smosteffectiveoffensiveplayersoflate,butobviouslytheteam’sbestdefensiveplayerallseason,hadtoleaveforthelockerroomatthe8:33markofthefirsthalfafterappearingtoinjurehisankle.Hecamebacktothebenchandcontinuedtoreceiveworkfromtrainers,butmovedg