Tigers face road test at No. 6 South Carolina

Feb. 8, 2017

AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn women's basketball wraps up a stretch of four games in five on the road when they travel to Columbia, S.C., Thursday night to face the sixth-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. Game time is 6 p.m. CT at Colonial Life Arena.

Auburn (15-9, 5-5 SEC) looks to avoid its first three-game skid of the season after dropping a tough one Sunday at Texas A&M, 66-61. Despite a career-best 32 points from senior Katie Frerking, the Tigers could not overcome large deficits in rebounding and free throws in a close loss to the Aggies.

South Carolina (20-2, 10-1 SEC) continues to lead the conference race as the Gamecocks seek their fourth straight SEC regular-season title. The Gamecocks bounced back from their first home loss of the season last Monday to Tennessee with road victories over Kentucky and Arkansas their last two outings.

This is the second meeting of the season between the teams; the Gamecocks earned a 73-47 win in Auburn on Jan. 5.

Andy Burcham and Brit Bowen will have the radio broadcast on WTGZ 93.9 FM beginning at 5:45 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

- As of Feb. 8, Auburn ranks third in the nation in turnovers forced (22.6/game), is 10th in the nation in steals (12.0/game), and fourth in turnover margin (+8.3)
- This is the 43rd meeting between Auburn and South Carolina
- The all-time series is tied 21-21, but South Carolina has won the last six meetings and 7 of the last 8
- Auburn's last win over South Carolina came in 2012, a 53-49 victory in Auburn
- Then-No. 5 South Carolina won the season's earlier meeting 73-47 at Auburn Arena on Jan. 5
- Senior Katie Frerking scored a career-high 32 points in Sunday's loss at Texas A&M, her second 30-point game this year
- In SEC play, Frerking ranks third in the league with 18.2 points/game
- Auburn's win over Alabama last Sunday was its fourth straight and seventh in eight meetings with the Tide
- Sophomore Erica Sanders and senior Khady Dieng made their first starts of the season vs. Alabama last Sunday while Jazmine and Jessica Jones came off the bench due to illness; it was Sanders' first career start
- In the Jan. 22 game vs. Kentucky, Brandy Montgomery passed Tyrese Tanner for 10th all-time in scoring at Auburn; she now has 1,563 points
- Auburn has three comeback wins from 17-point deficits this season: vs. Indiana (11/27), at Vanderbilt (1/12) and vs. Tennessee (1/19)
- Auburn's win over Tennessee on Jan. 19 was its first over the Lady Vols since 2009 and the largest margin of victory in a regular-season game for Auburn against UT
- Auburn's 83-60 win over Ole Miss (1/8) was its largest margin of victory and highest scoring total in SEC play under head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy
- Four of Auburn's opponents have been held to a season-low scoring total
- Auburn is 7-0 this season and 35-6 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; 26 at Florida
- 17 of 24 Auburn opponents have committed at least 20 turnovers; Auburn is 14-3 in those games
- Auburn averages 25.0 points per game off opponent turnovers; the Tigers are 11-2 when scoring at least 25
- 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's 32 fourth-quarter points vs. Indiana were the Tigers' 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 and 30 points in the 1st quarter vs. Ole Miss
- Janiah McKay scored a career-high 29 points in Auburn's 79-61 win over Tennessee (1/19)
- McKay scored 28 points and helped force overtime vs. Virginia Tech (12/18); she followed that up with 25 points vs. Drake (12/21)
- McKay had her first career double-double with 13 points/13 assists vs. Ole Miss; 13 assists tie for 7th in AU history
- Katie Frerking leads Auburn with 16.8 points/game; Brandy Montgomery is second with 14.4 points/game

Last Time Out

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Katie Frerking scored a career-high 32 points, but the Tigers fell short at Texas A&M Sunday afternoon, 66-61.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers (15-9, 5-5 SEC) shook off a slow start and led by as many as five points in the third quarter, but Texas A&M (17-6, 7-3) made several key shots and was solid at the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Frerking was 13-of-22 from the floor and made three 3-pointers. She also attempted all four of Auburn's free throws in the game ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" all in the fourth quarter ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" hitting three. Frerking was also Auburn's leading rebounder with eight. Brandy Montgomery added with points, and three players finished with six.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Texas A&M was 18-of-23 at the free-throw line and outrebounded Auburn 49-28. The Aggies turned 20 offensive rebounds into 23 second-chance points. Auburn was only able to force 14 A&M turnovers, a season-low for an Auburn opponent, and converted those into a season-low 12 points.

Noteworthy

A WIN OVER SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD...
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Give Auburn its 16th win of the season, securing a winning record for the second straight year.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Snap a six-game skid against the Gamecocks.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be Auburn's first win in Columbia since 2009.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be Auburn's highest-ranked victory since 1997.

SERIES HISTORY
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn and South Carolina are tied 21-21 all-time; the Gamecocks lead 10-7 in games played in Columbia.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º South Carolina has won the last six meetings dating back to the 2012-13 season. The Gamecocks won this year's first meeting in Auburn, 73-47.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn's last win in the series game Jan. 19, 2012, in a 53-49 victory at home.

LAST MEETING: #5 CAROLINA 73, AUBURN 47 (1/5/17)
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Katie Frerking scored 16 points, but Auburn could not dig out of a big early hole in a 73-47 loss to No. 5 South Carolina Auburn Arena.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers (11-5, 1-1 SEC) outscored the Gamecocks (12-1, 2-0) 33-29 through the second and third quarters. But Carolina's Kaela Davis hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points in the first quarter to push the Gamecocks to an early 23-point lead that proved insurmountable for the Tigers.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Frerking was the only player in double-figures for Auburn. Tiffany Lewis scored nine points off the bench, and Jazmine Jones had eight points and a team-best eight rebounds.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Despite a major size disadvantage, Auburn only grabbed five fewer rebounds than Carolina (37-32). The Tigers pulled down 17 offensive rebounds, turning those into 12 second-chance points. Auburn also forced South Carolina into 15 turnovers, all in the final three quarters, converting those to 15 points.

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º South Carolina remains atop the SEC standings at 10-1 in league play with the Gamecocks' only loss coming to Tennessee on Jan. 30.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Gamecocks outscore their opponents by an average of 22.3 points/game, 7th-best in the nation. Carolina leads the SEC in scoring (77.8 ppg), FG% (46.3%), FG% defense (34.8%), rebounding margin (+9.5) and blocked shots (5.8/game).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Alaina Coates is the SEC's leading rebounder with 11.6/game; she averages a double-double with 13.9 ppg. A'ja Wilson leads SC in scoring with 17.0 ppg, and Allisha Gray (13.4 ppg) and Kaela Davis (12.1 ppg) give the Gamecocks four players averaging double figures.

SCOUTING AUBURN
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 15-9 for the season, 5-5 in SEC play. Eight of Auburn's nine losses have come to teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls, and the Tigers have had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final seconds of regulation in six of those eight games.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers are one of the nation's top teams in forcing turnovers with 22.6 per game (3rd in NCAA). Auburn is 10th in the nation in steals per game (12.0) and 6th nationwide in total steals (287). The Tigers are second in the SEC and rank third in the nation in turnover margin (+8.3).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Katie Frerking is Auburn's leading scorer with 16.8 points/game. She also leads the Tigers in rebounds (6.4) and steals (2.8). Her 2.8 steals per game are second in the SEC and rank 34th in the nation. Frerking has posted five double-doubles this season and had a career-high 32 points at Texas A&M on Feb. 5. She scored her 1,000th career point at Florida on Jan. 1 while picking up her fifth double-double of the year.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Brandy Montgomery is Auburn's second-leading scorer with 14.4 points/game. She was named to the preseason All-SEC Second Team by the league's coaches. She has three games with 25+ points this season: a season-high 28 (including 16 in the 4th quarter) to lead a comeback win over Indiana (11/27), 26 in a win at Florida that included a career-high seven 3-pointers (1/1), and 25 in a home victory over Ole Miss where she was 10-of-15 from the floor (1/8).
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 1.0/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 (3.8/game) and scored a career-high 29 points to lead Auburn's comeback victory over Tennessee on Jan. 19. She earned her first career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds vs. Ole Miss on Jan. 8, and she scored her 500th career point vs. South Carolina on Jan. 5.
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 52.6% from the floor. She scored a season-high 10 points and had a career-high five steals vs. Drake on Dec. 21.

Looking Ahead

Auburn returns home to face the Georgia Lady Bulldogs at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. It's the annual "Play4Kay" Pink Game; Auburn will wear pink uniforms and fans are encouraged to wear pink.