Nov. 30, 2013
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Auburn led early, but cold shooting spots through the game put the Tigers (4-3) in a hole they could not get out of as Auburn dropped a 68-57 decision to No. 23/15 Iowa State (6-0).
Hasina Muhammad led Auburn with 15 points while Tyrese Tanner added 11. Brandy Montgomery scored 10 points while Tra'Cee Tanner pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. For her effort, Tyrese Tanner was named to the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout All-Tournament Team.
"I'm definitely proud of the effort, there was a great defensive effort, there were just a few dry spells that absolutely hurt us where we could not score and putting them on the free throw line 29 times did not help," said Auburn head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "We had 14 more field goal attempts than them, but we missed them. When you are playing teams like this, you have to make those."
Auburn held the Iowa State team that came into the game averaging 85.4 points per game to just 68. The Tigers hit three more field goals than the Cyclones, but lost the game at the free throw line as ISU connected on 23-of-29 attempts from the line, compared to 9-of-13 shooting from Auburn.
Defensively, Auburn scored 13 points off 11 Iowa State turnovers while clocking five Cyclone shots. The Tigers tied their season-low with nine turnovers.
The Tigers trailed early in the game, but a 12-0 run midway through the first half put Auburn in the lead for the majority of the half. AU led by as many as 11 points with 7:31 to go in the half, but went cold from the field and did not connect on a field goal in the final 5:09 as Iowa State pulled ahead for a 33-32 lead.
Auburn trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half, but cut the Cyclone lead to five with 6:04 remaining. ISU scored their last nine points at the free throw line and pulled away for the 68-57 win.
"We just could not get over the hump, there were a few possessions there where I thought we just needed that little bit of confidence to get over it," said Williams-Flournoy. "And, it was not for a lack of shots. Turning the ball over nine times is remarkable, we were able to get our shots, we just did not hit them."
Iowa State was led by Hallie Christofferson with 18 points with eight rebounds while Seanna Johnson tallied 17. Nicole Blaskowsky added 12 points.
Auburn will return to the court for the first of four-straight home games at 6 p.m. CT, Tuesday as the Tigers host Tulane (4-2). Doors at Auburn Arena will open at 4:30 p.m. CT. Fans get purchase tickets online at AUBTix.com or by calling 1-855-282-2010.