Auburn women back in action Tuesday vs. Southeastern La.

Dec. 18, 2017

AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" The Auburn women's basketball team is back in action for the final time before the Christmas break on Tuesday night, hosting Southeastern Louisiana at 6 p.m. CT at Auburn Arena.

In the holiday spirit, cookies & hot cocoa will be available to the first 250 fans or while supplies last. Aubie Claus will also be in attendance to visit with fans and take pictures. Tickets are available at the arena on gameday, by visiting AUBTix.com or by calling 855-282-2010.

The Tigers (7-3) look to extend a four-game winning streak that dates back to Nov. 29 vs. UL-Monroe. Auburn won its last two games, earning victories on back-to-back nights at Louisiana-Lafayette, 70-60, and at home against Southern, 65-47, on Dec. 8-9. With back-to-back double-doubles in those games, Unique Thompson was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Dec. 12.

Southeastern Louisiana (1-8) is playing its eighth road game of the season. The Lady Lions dropped their last outing to Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 13, falling 68-56.

Auburn is 3-0 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana. The teams last met during the 2015-16 season with the Tigers taking an 80-68 road victory in Hammond, La.

Andy Burcham will have the radio call on WQSI 95.9 FM beginning at 5:45 p.m. Fans can listen online at AuburnTigers.com or via the official Auburn Tigers app for mobile devices. The game will be televised on SEC Network + broadcast, which can be seen online via WatchESPN or the ESPN app.

Promotions

- Cookies & Cocoa - First 250 fans or while supplies last
- Aubie Claus

Auburn Quick Hitters

- Tuesday marks Auburn's fourth all-time meeting with Southeastern Louisiana
- Auburn is 3-0 all-time against SLU, including a 2-0 mark at home
- Auburn won the last meeting between the teams on Nov. 16, 2015, an 80-68 win in Hammond, La.
- Auburn is 4-0 against the state of Louisiana this season and plays its next two games (eight total this season) against teams from the Pelican State
- Auburn is 23-1 all-time against current members of the Southland Conference; the only loss came to Stephen F. Austin in 1983
- Auburn ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (6th - 52.4); steals per game (3rd - 14.7); turnovers forced per game (6th - 24.3) and turnover margin (10th - +7.7).
- Auburn forced a season-high 35 turnovers vs. UL-Monroe, second-most under Williams-Flournoy and 8th-most in Auburn history
- Auburn has forced at least 20 turnovers in all 10 games this season
- Auburn has won 21 of its last 23 games when forcing at least 25 turnovers (3-1 this season)
- Junior point guard Janiah McKay is Auburn's top scorer with 15.6 points/game; she also leads team and ranks second in SEC in assists (5.2) and steals (2.9)
- McKay matched her career-high with 29 points vs. Louisiana Tech (11/19); also had 29 vs. Tennessee and Alabama last year; she's scored at least 15 in 6 of 8 games this year
- McKay had a career-high 8 rebounds vs. North Carolina A&T (11/16)
- Freshman Unique Thompson was named SEC Freshman of the Week after her first career double-double (16 pts, 14 rebs) vs. Louisiana Tech (11/19); she had 10 points and 10 rebounds by halftime
- Thompson earned a second SEC Freshman of the Week nod after back-to-back double-doubles vs. UL-Lafayette (29 pts, 12 rebs) and Southern (18 pts, 10 rebs); her 29 points at ULL was a career-high and the second-most ever by an Auburn freshman
- Thompson had six blocks vs. LA Tech, most for Auburn player since 2011 (Jassany Williams, 7 vs. Duke)
- Thompson became the sixth Auburn freshman since 2005 to earn a start in her first collegiate game; she played 34 minutes in the opener at Virginia Tech
- Thompson pulled down 16 rebounds at Virginia Tech, the most by an Auburn player since Tra'Cee Tanner had 19 at Florida Gulf Coast in 2015
- Thompson missed two games with injury suffered vs. Northwestern (11/25), returned to lineup at Indiana (12/3)
- Sophomore Daisa Alexander scored a career-high 19 points in the season opener at Virginia Tech (11/13); then topped that career-high with 25 points at Indiana (12/3)
- Alexander is third on the team with 12.8 points/game; she has scored in double-figures in eight of 10 games
- McKay and Alexander rank second and third, respectively, in the SEC in steals; McKay averages 2.9, Alexander 2.7
- Junior Erica Sanders had a career-high 6 steals vs. Louisiana Tech (11/19)
- Junior Emari Jones had a career-high 7 rebounds at Virginia Tech (11/13) and earned her first start vs. N.C. A&T (11/16)

Last Time Out

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º A 30-point fourth quarter helped Auburn overcome a slow start, and freshman Unique Thompson recorded her second straight double-double as the Tigers defeated Southern 65-47 on Saturday night at Auburn Arena.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers (7-3) picked up their fourth-straight win on the strength of outscoring Southern 30-8 in the fourth quarter and 44-19 in the second half. Auburn trailed by four at the end of the third quarter, but a layup and free throw from senior Jazmine Jones with 8:54 to play gave the Tigers a 40-39 lead that they would never relinquish.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Thompson finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season and second in as many nights after a 29-point, 12-rebound performance on Friday night at Louisiana-Lafayette. She's the first Auburn player with double-doubles in consecutive games since Katie Frerking did so against East Carolina and Ball State last season.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Four players scored in double-figures for the Tigers. Janiah McKay posted a 14-point night and Daisa Alexander and Jazmine Jones contributed 11 points each. Jones and Alexander each had four steals on the night as well. Jessica Jones had seven rebounds, and McKay led Auburn with seven assists.

Noteworthy

AUBURN vs. SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º This will be the fourth meeting between Auburn and Southeastern Louisiana in women's basketball. Auburn has won all three prior meetings with the last coming on the road in 2015.

SCOUTING SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Southeastern Louisiana is 1-8 on the season and playing its eighth contest away from home in its last nine outings.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Lady Lions average 57.8 points/game while giving up 77.3. SLU makes its living from beyond the arc with 41.6% of its field goal attempts and 43.3% of its points scored coming on 3-pointers.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Taylin Underwood leads SLU with 17.7 points/game. She shoots 34.5% from the floor overall and 35.3% (30-for-85) from 3-point range. She also leads the team in assists and is second in rebounds, blocks and steals.

LAST MEETING (Nov. 16, 2015):
AUBURN 80, SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 68
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn used a 25-0 run in the first half to build a big early lead, then held off a late rally for an 80-68 win at Southeastern Louisiana.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers led by as many as 25 points early in the third quarter, but the Lady Lions got hot from outside and cut the lead to as few as six points in the fourth before Auburn got two big plays from freshman Janiah McKay down the stretch to hold off the rally.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Brandy Montgomery led the Tigers with 22 points and also contributed five rebounds and three steals. Montgomery hit three 3-pointers - all in the first quarter - and had 15 at halftime. Tra'Cee Tanner had 16 points and three steals, while McKay poured in 15 points off the bench. Katie Frerking finished with 13 points and game-highs in assists and rebounds (six apiece).

SCOUTING AUBURN
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn is 7-3 on the season, coming off a 10-day break following a pair of victories on Dec. 8-9.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º The Tigers are scoring 61.7 points per game while holding opponents to an SEC-best 52.4. Auburn's scoring defense ranks 6th nationally.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Junior point guard Janiah McKay has scored in double-figures in nine of the Tigers' 10 games, including matching a career-high with 29 vs. Louisiana Tech. She also ranks second in the SEC in both assists (5.2/game) and steals (2.9/game).
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Freshman Unique Thompson has been a breakout star, twice earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors while averaging 13.1 points and 9.5 rebounds. She had a double-double vs. Louisiana Tech to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Senior forwards Jazmine and Jessica Jones are the Tigers' other two returning starters. Jessica Jones is the team's leading returner in rebounds (5.2/game) and steals (1.4/game) and averaged 3.8 points last season. Jazmine Jones averaged 4.5 points and 4.3 rebounds last season and was a key component of Auburn's trademark pressure defense. Jessica pulled down 10 rebounds in a win over N.C. A&T, and Jazmine matched a career-high with five steals vs. ULM.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Junior Emari Jones earned her first career start vs. North Carolina A&T on Nov. 16 and has remained in the lineup ever since. She has averaged 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds so far this year.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Sophomore Daisa Alexander has been another breakout star, averaging 12.8 points off the bench. In just 20 minutes vs. Indiana, she scored a career-high 25 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter to help Auburn pull away.
ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º Auburn has forced at least 20 turnovers in all 10games this season and has forced 25 or more four times (29 vs. LA Tech; 25 vs. Northwestern, 35 vs. ULM; 26 vs. Southern).

Looking Ahead

ÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬ºÃƒÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬º After the Christmas break, Auburn has one final non-conference tune-up before SEC play begins. The Tigers host Xavier University of Louisiana at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28.