Dec. 21, 2006
AUBURN - Thanks to a combined 35 points from DeWanna Bonner and Sherell Hobbs, Auburn (11-3) entered the holiday break on a high note after dropping Oakland 74-55 Thursday afternoon at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Bonner notched her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 boards, while Hobbs added 17 points and five rebounds.
"That was a good way to finish our pre-holiday schedule," Auburn head coach Nell Fortner. "We had to work hard for 40 minutes, and I'm proud that we maintained our focus."
Joanna Clayden also contributed 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting from three, and Jordan Greenleaf upped her career-high rebound mark from eight to nine.
Auburn, who led the entire game, pulled away from the Grizzlies (4-7) with a 17-7 run early in the second half. With the score 43-38 and 17:35 to play, the Tigers scored on two of their next three possessions to up their lead to ten. After Oakland cut the lead to six, Hobbs converted a 3-point play to put Auburn up nine at 51-42.
Two possessions later Hobbs found the bottom of the net again to make the margin 11. More than a minute later, Hobbs sandwiched an assist to Alexis Ogubie and a layup of her own around a Bonnie Baker bucket to make the score 57-44. Clayden then put the finishing touch on the run with a three at the 8:44 mark to put Auburn up 60-45. The Tigers never led by fewer than 11 points again.
Auburn jumped out to a 23-8 lead to open the game, but struggled to hold on to the ball for the remainder of the half. The Tigers committed 14 first-half turnovers, four of which came in the final four minutes, to help Oakland climb within five points at 37-32. Auburn went to the locker room up 41-34.
Auburn had three players score in double figures for the 11th time in 14 games this season. Nicole Piggot scored 19 points and Jessica Pike netted 14 to lead the Grizzlies in the loss.
Auburn will take the next six days off before reconvening in Miami, Fla. on Dec. 28th for a 4 p.m. CT game vs. James Madison. The Tigers will take on either Miami or Coppin State on Dec. 29th before returning to Auburn for their SEC opener vs. Ole Miss on Jan. 4th at 7 p.m. CT.