Auburn women open SEC Tournament against Georgia

March 1, 2017

Opening Tip

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn faces Georgia in the 8-9 game of the 2017 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament at 11 a.m. CT Thursday, March 2, in Greenville, S.C. It will be the sixth meeting between the teams in the SEC Tournament, but the first since 1997.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 17-13 overall and finished 7-9 in SEC play. The Tigers have won two straight heading into the postseason, capped by a 70-64 win at Arkansas Sunday.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Georgia is 15-14 overall and also finished 7-9 in the SEC. The Lady Bulldogs won a pair of overtime games followed by a road loss at Florida Sunday to close out the regular season.

Auburn Quick Hitters

- As of Feb. 27, Auburn ranks second in the nation in turnovers forced (22.4/game), is 10th in the nation in steals (11.6/game), and second in turnover margin (+8.4)
- This is the 47th meeting between Auburn and Georgia, the sixth in the SEC Tournament
- Georgia leads the all-time series 28-18, but Auburn owns a 3-1 edge at neutral sites and a 3-2 advantage in the SEC Tournament
- Georgia won the season's earlier meeting in Auburn 57-51 on Feb. 12
- Auburn's last meeting with Georgia in the SEC Tournament came in 1997 in the quarterfinals; Auburn defeated No. 4 Georgia 75-47
- Auburn is 37-35 all-time in the SEC Tournament with four tournament titles - 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1997
- The Tigers went 1-1 in last year's SEC Tournament, defeating Missouri 47-45 in the first round before falling to No. 2 South Carolina 57-48 in the second round
- Auburn enters the postseason on a two-game win streak with victories over LSU and Arkansas to close the season
- Senior Katie Frerking was named as SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, All-SEC Second Team and All-Defensive Team
- Frerking was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team last week and the SEC Community Service Team this week
- Frerking scored a career-high 32 points at Texas A&M (2/5), her second 30-point game this year
- Frerking leads Auburn in scoring (16.0/game), rebounding (6.4/game), steals (2.5/game) and tied in blocks (0.9/game)
- The Tigers snapped a 6-game losing streak with their win over LSU Thursday night, finishing the game on an 11-1 run over the final 1:29 for a 54-49 win
- Auburn is 8-0 this season and 36-6 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; 29 vs. LSU
- 21 of 30 Auburn opponents have committed at least 20 turnovers; Auburn is 15-6 in those games
- Auburn averages 24.0 points per game off opponent turnovers; the Tigers are 12-2 when scoring at least 25
- Four of Auburn's opponents have been held to a season-low scoring total
- Senior Khady Dieng made her second start of the season as part of Senior Night, then her third at Arkansas
- Junior Tiffany Lewis made her first Auburn start against Ole Miss on Feb. 16; her last collegiate start came March 5, 2015, vs. Georgia Tech while playing at Clemson
- Sophomore Erica Sanders and senior Khady Dieng made their first starts of the season vs. Alabama on Jan. 29 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 1,635 points and ranks seventh in program history
- 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

Last Time Out

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn used a 30-point fourth quarter to fight back from a seven-point deficit to end the regular season with a 70-64 win at Arkansas Sunday afternoon.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers shot 62.5 percent in the fourth quarter after two offensively challenged periods that saw the Razorbacks build a seven-point lead going into the final quarter. But Auburn opened the period on a 17-5 run and never trailed again.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Three players finished in double-figures for Auburn. Brandy Montgomery led the Tigers with 18 points, Janiah McKay had 17 and Katie Frerking had 16. Eleven of McKay's 17 points came in the pivotal fourth quarter, and Frerking had her sixth double-double with 10 rebounds. She also had five assists, three blocks and two steals.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn shot 35.3 percent for the game, but was 50 percent or better in the first (50%) and fourth (62.5%). The Tigers hit eight 3-pointers and were 14-of-19 at the free-throw line. The Tigers scored 19 points off 19 Arkansas turnovers. Auburn had just seven turnovers, a season-low.

Noteworthy

A WIN OVER GEORGIA WOULD...
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Snap a two-game losing streak to Georgia.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be Auburn's third straight win after a six-game losing streak.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Be the 900th win in Auburn women's basketball history.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Give Auburn an SEC Tournament win for the fourth straight season.

SERIES HISTORY
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Georgia leads the all-time series with Auburn 28-18, but Auburn owns a 3-1 edge at neutral sites.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The teams have met five times in the SEC Tournament with Auburn holding a 3-2 lead.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The last meeting in the SEC Tournament came in the 1997 quarterfinals in Chattanooga when the Tigers downed the fourth-ranked Lady Bulldogs 75-47. Auburn would go on to defeat No. 8 Tennessee and No. 6 Florida, winning four games in four days to claim the 1997 SEC Tournament title.

LAST MEETING: GEORGIA 57, AUBURN 51 (2/12/17)
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º A season-high crowd of 3,464 fans saw Auburn fight to the very end with Georgia but come up short in a 57-51 loss Sunday at Auburn Arena.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers shot a season-low 24.6 percent and gave up 32 defensive rebounds to Georgia, who overcame 22 turnovers to earn its second straight victory over Auburn.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Brandy Montgomery scored 16 points while Katie Frerking added 13 and Janiah McKay had 12. Frerking was the Tigers' leading rebounder with eight.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn scored 16 points off 22 Georgia turnovers, but the Lady Bulldogs took advantage of 15 offensive rebounds, turning those into 19 second-chance points. The Tigers also had plenty of opportunities at the free-throw line in the second half but finished 16-of-25 (64%) from the line.

AUBURN IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn has a 37-35 all-time record in the SEC Tournament and has won it four times - 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1997.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º This is Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy's fifth appearance in the SEC Tournament as Auburn's coach. She is 3-4 in her previous four trips. Coach Flo was an assistant at Georgia in 2001 when the Lady Bulldogs won the tournament title.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is the No. 9 seed for the sixth time and the second consecutive year. The Tigers are 5-4 in the tournament as a 9-seed. Auburn won the 1997 SEC Tournament as a No. 9 seed, winning four games in four days in Chattanooga over Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Previous appearances as a 9-seed: 2016 at Jacksonville (def. Missouri 47-45; lost to South Carolina 57-48); 2012 at Nashville (lost to Florida 70-60); 2007 at Duluth (lost to South Carolina 65-63); 2001 at Memphis (lost to Alabama 76-72).

SCOUTING GEORGIA
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Georgia finished the regular season 15-14 overall, 7-9 in SEC play. The Lady Bulldogs won two overtime games over LSU and Alabama to close out its home schedule, then dropped its road finale at Florida on Sunday.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Georgia is the SEC's second-best shot-blocking team, averaging 4.5/game. The Lady Bulldogs average 62.8 points/game and shoot 41.4% from the field.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Pachis Roberts leads Georgia with 14.5 points per game. Roberts and Caliya Robinson share the team rebounding lead with 6.9 per game.

SCOUTING AUBURN
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 17-13 for the season and finished 7-9 in SEC play. Nine of Auburn's losses have come to teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national polls, and nine losses have been by six points or less.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers are one of the nation's top teams in forcing turnovers with 22.4 per game (2nd in NCAA). Auburn is 10th in the nation in steals per game (11.6) and 5th nationwide in total steals (349). The Tigers lead the SEC and rank 2nd in the nation in turnover margin (+8.4).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Katie Frerking is Auburn's leading scorer with 16.0 points/game. She also leads the Tigers in rebounds (6.4) and steals (2.5). Her 2.5 steals per game are second in the SEC and rank 44th in the nation. Frerking has posted six 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 13.9 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 shares the Tigers' lead in blocks with 0.9/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 (3.5/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.

SHE'S FRERKING AWESOME
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Senior Katie Frerking was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and also to the All-SEC Second Team and the All-Defensive Team. Frerking is Auburn's second SEC Scholar-Athlete, along with Blanche Alverson (2012).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Through 30 games, senior Katie Frerking leads or shares the Auburn lead in four of five major categories: scoring (16.0 ppg), rebounds (6.4/game), steals (2.5/game) and blocks (0.9/game).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Frerking scored a career-high 32 points and was Auburn's leading rebounder with eight at Texas A&M (2/5). It was the highest scoring output by an Auburn player since Blanche Alverson scored 32 vs. Mississippi State on 3/3/13.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º She scored a then-career high 30 points along with 11 rebounds in Auburn's win at Louisiana Tech (12/14). She was 9-14 from the field, 5-9 from 3-point range, and 7-8 at the free-throw line.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º She scored her 1,000th career point and picked up her 200th career steal, along with her fifth double-double of the season at Florida (1/1). She is one of two players in Auburn history with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 250 assists and 200 steals (Mae Ola Bolton).

Looking Ahead
With a win, Auburn will face top-seeded South Carolina in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals at 11 a.m. CT Friday, March 3.