Auburn women travel to Louisiana Tech Wednesday

Dec. 13, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn women's basketball hits the road for the fifth time this season as the Tigers travel to Ruston, La., to face Louisiana Tech Wednesday night. Tip is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas Assembly Center.

The Tigers (7-2) are coming off a 75-46 victory over Savannah State on Sunday that saw all 10 players in uniform score for Auburn. It was the first time for every player on the bench to find the scoring column for Auburn since a 77-43 win at Mercer on Nov. 11, 2011. Brandy Montgomery led the Tigers with 22 points, and Tiffany Lewis scored a season-high 12 points off the bench.

Auburn forced Savannah State into 28 turnovers, converting those into a season-high 37 points Sunday. Through Sunday's games, Auburn is the national leader in turnovers forced, averaging 26.4 opponent giveaways per game. The Tigers have forced six of nine opponents into at least 27 turnovers so far this year, going 6-0 in those games.

Montgomery remains Auburn's leading scorer with a 16.2 points/game average. Katie Frerking leads the Tigers in rebounding (8.1/game), assists (3.4/game) and steals (3.4/game). Her steals average is tops in the SEC and in the nation's top 20.

Louisiana Tech (5-3) played twice at home last week, defeating Nicholls State 68-52 and dropping a two-point heartbreaker to Stephen F. Austin. The Lady Techsters are the top-shooting team in Conference USA, averaging 47.3 percent from the field.

This is the eighth all-time meeting between Auburn and Louisiana Tech but the first since 1997. Five of the seven previous meetings between the teams came in the NCAA Tournament, including all three of Auburn's Final Four appearances in 1988, 1989 and 1990. The Lady Techsters defeated Auburn for the national championship in 1988, and the Tigers knocked off LA Tech in the national semifinals in 1989 and 1990.

Andy Burcham will have the radio broadcast on WTGZ 93.9 FM beginning at 6:15 p.m. CT; Brit Bowen will be the studio host. Fans can also listen live via TuneIn Radio or the above link to AuburnTigers.com. A live stream is available for a fee at CUSA.tv.

Auburn Quick Hitters

- As of Dec. 11, Auburn leads the nation in turnovers forced (26.4/game), is 2nd in the nation in steals (14.7/game), and 5th in turnover margin (+9.9)
- This is the eighth meeting between Auburn and Louisiana Tech, the first since 1997
- Auburn is 2-5 all-time against the Lady Techsters with five of the previous seven meetings coming in the postseason
- #4 Louisiana Tech won the last meeting over #13 Auburn 74-48 in the second round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament
- This is the first meeting between Auburn and Louisiana Tech when neither team is ranked
- This is the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 1985
- All seven previous meetings between the teams featured Hall of Fame head coaches Joe Ciampi and Leon Barmore
- Auburn faced Louisiana Tech in all three of its trips to the NCAA Final Four in 1988, 1989 and 1990
- Auburn is 0-3 against Louisiana Tech in Ruston but is 3-4 in all games played at the Thomas Assembly Center
- Auburn is 57-15 all-time against current members of Conference USA
- Auburn is 57-28 all-time against opponents from Louisiana and 24-15 in games played in Louisiana
- Auburn has held six of nine opponents at least 10 points below their season scoring average
- Six of Auburn's nine opponents have been held to a season-low scoring total
- Auburn was ranked No. 23 in the Week 4 AP Top 25; it was the first ranking for Auburn since 2009
- The Tigers have received votes in every AP poll this season
- Auburn is 6-0 this season and 34-6 under Coach Flo when forcing 25+ turnovers; Auburn forced 38 vs. Troy, 27 at North Carolina A&T, 30 at East Carolina, 27 vs. Ball State, 30 vs. Marist; 28 vs. Savannah State
- Auburn forced 20 turnovers vs. Indiana but turned that into 33 points
- Auburn trailed Indiana by 17 points in the fourth quarter before mounting a comeback for a 71-67 win on Nov. 27
- Auburn's 32 fourth-quarter points vs. Indiana were the most in a single period since women's basketball went to a four-quarter game in 2015-16
- Brandy Montgomery scored 28 points in the comeback win over Indiana, including 16 in the fourth quarter and 10 straight over a 2-minute stretch to tie the game
- Montgomery is Auburn's scoring leader and sixth in the SEC through nine games with 16.2 points/game
- Katie Frerking leads Auburn in rebounds (8.1), assists (3.4) and steals (3.4) and is second in scoring (14.2)
- Frerking has double-doubles in three games this year; she had two in her career entering the season
- Frerking leads the SEC and ranks 16th in the nation with 3.4 steals per game
- Frerking had a career-high 7 steals in the win at N.C. A&T, then matched that with 7 vs. Indiana
- Auburn's 32-point win over North Carolina A&T was its largest margin of victory in a road game since Nov. 11, 2011 at Mercer (34 points; 77-43)

Last Time Out

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Brandy Montgomery scored 22 points, and Auburn's bench played extended minutes as the Tigers built a big early lead and cruised past Savannah State 75-46 Sunday afternoon at Auburn Arena.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers, coming off a nine-day break for final exams, showed no signs of rust as they jumped on Savannah State early and never looked back.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Montgomery scored her 22 points in 22 minutes, shooting 9-for-15 from the field. It was the third time this season for the Auburn senior to top the 20-point mark. Tiffany Lewis scored a season-high 12 points ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" her first double-digit effort since playing for Clemson two seasons ago ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" to lead a season-best 28 points from the Auburn bench.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º All 10 players that suited up for the Tigers scored in the game, including season-highs from freshmen Tyra Johnson and Daisa Alexander.

Noteworthy

AUBURN-LOUISIANA TECH SERIES
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º This is the eighth meeting between Auburn and Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters hold a 5-2 advantage in the series, including a 3-0 edge in Ruston.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º This is the first meeting since the 1997 NCAA Tournament, when fourth-ranked Tech defeated 13th-ranked Auburn 74-48 in the second round.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Five of the previous seven meetings in the series have come in the NCAA Tournament, including three times in the Final Four. Both of Auburn's wins in the series came in national semifinal games.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Louisiana Tech defeated Auburn in the national championship game in 1988.

SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Louisiana Tech is 5-3 for the season and coming off a 1-1 week that saw the Lady Techsters drop a heartbreaker to Stephen F. Austin before bouncing back with a win over Nicholls State. Tech's other two losses have come to Power 5 opponents in LSU and Clemson.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Lady Techsters are the top-shooting team in Conference USA, averaging 47.3% from the field. Tech scores an average of 72.1 points per game.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º LA Tech is led by Jasmine LeBlanc, who paces the team in scoring (14.1/game) and rebounding (8.6/game). She is also the team's leader in steals and blocks. Led by LeBlanc, four Techsters average double-figures - Reauna Cleaver (12.0), Rochelle Vasquez (11.3) and Kierra Anthony (10.5).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Tech is in its first season under co-head coaches Brooke and Scott Stoehr. The pair came from Northwestern State, where they led the Demons to two NCAA Tournament appearances in four years. Brooke played at Tech from 1998-2002 and was an assistant there from 2005-08.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Lady Techsters finished 14-16 overall, 9-9 in C-USA play last season.

LAST MEETING: #4 LOUISIANA TECH 74, #13 AUBURN 48 (3/16/97)
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Laticia Morris scored 19 points, but fourth-ranked Louisiana Tech was too much on its home floor in a 74-48 win over No. 13 Auburn in the second round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Tamicha Jackson went 6-for-9 from 3-point range and scored 26 points for LA Tech, and Alisa Burras added 25 on a night that saw the Lady Techsters shoot 50.9% from the floor and hold Auburn to 38.6% shooting.

SCOUTING AUBURN
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 7-2 to open the 2016-17 season. The Tigers' only blemishes on the schedule are a 56-52 loss to then-No. 19 West Virginia in the Savannah Invitational championship game, and a 71-66 loss at Kansas State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Senior Brandy Montgomery is the Tigers' leading scorer, averaging 16.2 points per game. She averaged 14.0 points per game as a junior and was named to the preseason All-SEC Second Team by the league's coaches. She scored a season-high 28 points - 16 in the fourth quarter - to lead Auburn's comeback from a 17-point deficit against Indiana on Nov. 27.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Senior Katie Frerking leads the SEC and ranks 16th in the nation in steals with 3.4 per game through eight games. Frerking has posted three double-doubles this season and leads the team with 8.5 rebounds/game, which ranks seventh in the SEC.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Junior forward Jessica Jones has been a force defensively for the Tigers, posting a career-high four blocks twice already this year and pulling down a career-high 9 rebounds vs. Marist. She leads the Tigers in blocks with 1.4/game. She also had five steals in the opener vs. Troy.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Sophomore point guard Janiah McKay and junior forward Jazmine Jones are the Tigers' other two returning starters. McKay scored a career-high 24 points to lead Auburn to an NCAA first-round win over St. John's last season. She contributed a career-high eight assists in a Dec Jones started all 33 games as a sophomore and had one of the best shooting percentages on the team, shooting 51.5% from the floor.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Pressure defense remains a staple of Coach Flo's strategy as the Tigers forced an average of 20.0 turnovers per game in her first four seasons. Auburn is averaging 26.4 opponent turnovers through nine games (1st in SEC; 1st in nation) and has forced 27 or more in six of nine contests.

Looking Ahead

Auburn returns home Sunday afternoon to face #24 Virginia Tech at 4 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Auburn men's team, who faces Mercer at noon. A ticket for the men's game is good for admission to both games, and women's general admission tickets are available for just one dollar.