No. 9 Auburn Edges South Carolina, 80-76

Jan. 8, 2009

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Trailing at halftime for just the third time this season, the No. 9 Auburn women's basketball team (16-0, 1-0 SEC) out-scored South Carolina (8-6, 0-1 SEC) 51-45 in the second half, rallying for the 80-76 win at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.

"I'm happy with the win, it is not easy getting wins in this league and it is definitely not easy getting them on the road," said Auburn head coach Nell Fortner. "I thought South Carolina played extremely well, shot the three-ball well in the first half and were difficult for us to defend."

The Gamecocks led 31-29 at the half on the back of 4-of-9 three-point shooting. The only other times Auburn has trailed at the half this season were at Liberty and at Miami (Fla.).

The senior combo of DeWanna Bonner and Whitney Boddie led Auburn to the win with a combined 50 of the team's 80 points. Bonner led all scorers with 29 points, chipping in six rebounds. Boddie had 21 points along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"DeWanna and Whitney have been starters since they came to Auburn, since day one, and they know how to win games," said Fortner. "This is what they do, they have grown up and when they get in tough spots at times, they have stepped up and their experience showed tonight."

KeKe Carrier provided a boost off the bench for Auburn, scoring six points while picking up a game-high 10 rebounds. She also tallied five blocked shots in the game.

USC led for most of the first half, leading by as many as seven at the 16-9 mark. Auburn rallied back and cut the lead to two at the break.

Bonner led Auburn in the first half with 11 points, followed by Boddie and her nine points. Carrier led Auburn in rebounding with seven while also tallying four points and four blocks.

Dickerson led South Carolina with nine points, all 3-pointers. Pace had a team-best four rebounds in the opening half.

The Tigers took control in the second half, scoring six straight points to open the period to take a four-point lead. Auburn would never trail again, building the lead to 10 at the 67-57 mark with 4:27 left to play. USC battled back, though, cutting the lead to two with 13 seconds left, but Auburn hit its free-throws down the stretch to come away with the 80-76 win.

"I thought we played a great second half and our veterans really stepped up and did what they know to do, which is take over the ballgame and hit big shots, and that is what they did," said Fortner. "I am happy to get out of here with the win."

Auburn shot 52.6 percent from the field in the game, knocking down 30-of-57 attempts. The Tigers were 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, but stepped up at the line, hitting 75 percent of their free throws, 18-of-24. Auburn also out-rebounded South Carolina, 36-26.

The Gamecocks were 24-of-55 from the field for 43.6 percent, but hit 5-of-12 attempts from 3-point land. USC hit 23-of-26 free throws for 88.5 percent.

Auburn returns to action at 2 p.m., Sunday as the Tigers head home for a matchup with No. 18 Florida. The game will be Auburn's second this season against a team ranked in the top-25.