Auburn women's hoops opens SEC play at Florida

Dec. 30, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" The Auburn women's basketball team will ring in 2017 Sunday afternoon in Gainesville, Fla., as the Tigers open SEC play against the Florida Gators. Game time is 1 p.m. CT on New Year's Day at the newly-renovated O'Connell Center.

The Tigers (10-4) are coming off a 53-41 win over Jacksonville on Wednesday at Auburn Arena in which junior Jessica Jones scored a career-high 15 points to lead Auburn to victory. Auburn finished non-conference play with 10 victories for the second straight season.

Florida (9-4) is playing just its second home game of the season as the Gators played their first 12 games away from Gainesville while waiting on the renovations to their arena to be completed. The Gators won the last meeting between the teams, a 56-49 victory in Gainesville in last season's SEC regular-season finale.

Brit Bowen will have the radio broadcast on WTGZ 93.9 FM beginning at 12:45 p.m. CT. Fans can also listen live via TuneIn Radio or the above link to AuburnTigers.com. Fans can watch the game on SEC Network + via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app on mobile devices.

Auburn Quick Hitters

- Katie Frerking needs just 10 points for 1,000 in her career
- As of Dec. 30, Auburn ranks third in the nation in turnovers forced (24.6/game), is seventh in the nation in steals (13.3/game), and sixth in turnover margin (+8.6)
- This is the 57th meeting between Auburn and Florida; the 23rd in Gainesville (and 2nd straight)
- Two of Florida's last three home games will have been against Auburn
- Auburn is 35-21 all-time against Florida; the teams are tied 11-11 in Gainesville
- Florida won the last meeting, a 56-49 win in Gainesville in the 2016 SEC regular-season finale
- The Tigers seek their first win in Gainesville since 2007
- Auburn is 17-20 all-time in SEC openers, 3-1 under Coach Flo
- The Tigers finished non-conference play with 10 wins for the second straight season
- Six of Auburn's 14 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
- 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
- Twelve of 14 Auburn opponents have committed at least 20 turnovers
- Auburn held Jacksonville to eight points in the first half (12/28); first time since 2006 and third time since 1989-90 to hold opponent to single-digits in a half (5 pts. at UMES, 2006; 9 pts. vs. Tuskegee, 1990)
- Auburn scored 62 points in the second half vs. Drake; the most in a half since 2008 and two points shy of a school record for points in a half
- 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
- The Tigers scored 31 points in both the third and fourth quarters vs. Drake
- Janiah McKay scored a career-high 28 points and helped force overtime vs. Virginia Tech (12/18); she followed that up with 25 points vs. Drake (12/21)
- Katie Frerking leads Auburn with 15.7 points/game; Brandy Montgomery is second with 15.3 points/game
- Frerking also leads Auburn in rebounds (7.5) and steals (3.1)
- Frerking scored a career-high 30 points and had 11 rebounds at Louisiana Tech (12/14)
- Frerking has double-doubles in four games this year; she had two in her career entering the season
- Frerking leads the SEC and ranks among the nation's leaders with 3.1 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
- 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
- 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)
- Jessica Jones set career-highs in rebounds (8), steals (5) and blocks (4) in the first two games; she bettered her rebounding high with 11 against Drake, then scored career-high 15 points vs. Jacksonville on her 21st birthday

Last Time Out

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º On her 21st birthday, Auburn junior Jessica Jones scored a career-high 15 points to lead the Tigers to a 53-41 win over Jacksonville Wednesday night at Auburn Arena.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers (10-4) closed out the non-conference portion of the schedule by winning a defensive battle that saw both teams struggle to shoot the ball. Auburn held the Dolphins (9-4) to just eight points in the first half and held on for the win despite getting outscored in the second half.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Jessica Jones led the Tigers with 15 points and five rebounds. Her previous career-high was 11 points, which came twice during her freshman season. It was also her first time to lead Auburn in scoring in her career.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn's defense was stellar in the first half, holding Jacksonville under 10 percent shooting and just eight points, the fewest against Auburn in a half since 2015 against Georgia when the Bulldogs scored 11 in the second half.

Noteworthy

A WIN OVER FLORIDA WOULD...
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Give Auburn its first win in Gainesville since 2007, snapping a five-game losing streak at the O-Dome.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be Auburn's fourth win in its last five SEC openers under Coach Flo.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be Auburn's third win in its last four games against the Gators.

SERIES HISTORY
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn leads the all-time series with Florida 35-21, with the series tied 11-11 in Gainesville.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Florida won the last meeting in the last SEC regular-season game for both teams, a 56-49 Gator victory on Feb. 28, 2016, in Gainesville. The teams split two regular-season meetings in 2016; Auburn defeated then-No. 16 Florida 80-58 at home Feb. 14.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn's last win in Gainesville came on Jan. 18, 2007, a 74-69 victory.

LAST MEETING: FLORIDA 56, AUBURN 49 (2/28/16)
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn's Katie Frerking scored a game-high 18 points, but Florida took advantage of numerous opportunities at the free-throw line late to earn a 56-49 win over the Tigers Sunday at the O'Connell Center.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers (18-11, 8-8) converted just 6-of-16 chances at the free-throw line while Florida (22-7, 10-6) knocked down 28-of-35, including a 15-for-17 mark in the fourth quarter, to send Auburn to its third-straight loss.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers forced Florida into 28 turnovers but committed 26 of their own. It was the first time this season for Auburn to lose when forcing 25+ opponent turnovers. Florida also controlled the boards, pulling down 45 rebounds to Auburn's 32. The Gators had 23 offensive rebounds in the game, converting those into 24 second-chance points.

SCOUTING FLORIDA
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Florida is 9-4 on the season and enters Sunday on a two-game winning streak. Sunday will be just the second home game of the year for the Gators in the newly renovated Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Gators average 76.3 points per game and are one of the top-shooting teams in the country at 47.7% from the floor (17th NCAA). Florida also stands among the nation's best in rebounding with 43.7 per game (27th NCAA).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Ronni Williams leads the Gators in both scoring (17.9/game) and rebounding (8.3/game). She went for 34 points and 12 rebounds in their last game against Southeastern Louisiana and has four double-doubles this year.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Gators finished 22-9 overall, 10-6 in SEC play in 2015-16 and advance to the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

SCOUTING AUBURN
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 10-4 at the conclusion of non-conference play. All of Auburn's losses have come by five points or less, and the Tigers have had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final seconds of regulation in all four games.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers are one of the nation's top teams in forcing turnovers with 24.6 per game (3rd in NCAA). Auburn is seventh in the nation in steals per game (13.3) and first nationwide in total steals (186). The Tigers are third in the SEC and rank eighth in the nation in turnover margin (+8.6).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Katie Frerking is Auburn's leading scorer with 15.8 points/game. She also leads the Tigers in rebounds (7.5) and steals (3.1). Her 3.1 steals per game lead the SEC and rank 25th in the nation. Frerking has posted all four of Auburn's double-doubles this season and had a career-high 30 points in a win at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 14.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Brandy Montgomery is Auburn's second-leading scorer with 15.3 points/game. She 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 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 11 rebounds vs. Drake. She leads the Tigers in blocks with 1.3/game. She also had five steals in the opener vs. Troy, and she scored a career-high 15 points on her 21st birthday in Auburn's 53-41 win over Jacksonville on Dec. 28.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Sophomore point guard Janiah McKay and junior forward Jazmine Jones are the Tigers' other two returning starters. McKay leads the Tigers in assists (3.1/game) and scored a career-high 28 points to lead Auburn's comeback against Virginia Tech, then scored 25 in a victory over Drake three days later. She contributed a career-high eight assists in a Dec. 11 win over Savannah State.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º 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. She scored a season-high 10 points and had a career-high five steals vs. Drake on Dec. 21.

EIGHT IS...GREAT?
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º In the Dec. 28 win over Jacksonville, Auburn held the Dolphins to eight points in the first half. It's the first time for Auburn to hold an opponent to single-digits in a half since Dec. 19, 2006, at Maryland-Eastern Shore, when the Tigers held UMES to five first-half points.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º There are only three known instances of Auburn holding an opponent to single digits in a half dating back to the 1989-90 season. The other came Jan. 27, 1990, when Tuskegee scored nine second-half points.

Looking Ahead

The Tigers play their SEC home opener Thursday, Jan. 5, as Auburn hosts No. 6 South Carolina. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Auburn Arena.