Aug. 10, 2012
Australian Tour Central | 
Auburn Women's Basketball in Cairns Photo Gallery
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CAIRNS, Australia - The Auburn women's basketball team pulled even at 1-1 on its Australian Tour Friday as the Tigers downed the Cairns Dolphins, 81-71. Senior Blanche Alverson led Auburn with 23 points, helping first-year head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy to her first victory as Auburn's head coach.
The Tigers never trailed in the game, taking the lead out of the gate with an Alverson 3-pointer, one of five she would hit on the day. Auburn's lead hovered near double digits for most of the game, allowing the Tigers to hold off an end-of-the-game charge from the Dolphins.
"I am happy for the win, it is exciting for the staff and the team to see some of the things we have been working on materialize," said Auburn head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "Everyone contributed in this win and that is good to see, especially when you are working with as few players as we are.
"We just have to keep working because we are not there yet. This was a good first step, but we have a long way to go."
Alverson was the top Tiger with 23 points, but freshmen Chadarryl Clay was not far behind with 20 points of her own. Sophomore Hasina Muhammad added 16 points, followed by Nicole Tanner with eight and Peyton Davis with seven. Pascale West scored four points while Cabriana Capers rounded out the team with three.
Auburn took a 26-18 lead after the first quarter and held it for a 47-38 lead at halftime. The Tigers held a double-digit lead, 64-54, at the end of the third quarter, but saw it evaporate to as few as three as Cairns cut the lead to 69-66 with less than six minutes left in the game.
Muhammad and Clay carried the Tigers through the final stretch, combining to score eight of Auburn's final 12 points to pull away for the 81-71 win.
Cayla Francis led Cairns with a game-high 27 points, followed by Jade Kennedy with 13 and Bibi Baker and Ashley North with 10 each.
Auburn will continue its Australian Tour August 11 as the Tigers take on the Sydney Flames in Sydney, Australia. Tipoff will be at 10 p.m. CT.
Coach Williams-Flournoy talks about the team's win over Cairns: