Auburn women on the road at LSU Thursday night

Jan. 17, 2018

AUBURN, Ala. -- The Auburn women's basketball team looks to get back on the winning track Thursday night when the Tigers travel to Baton Rouge, La., to face LSU. Game time is 7 p.m. CT at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

The Tigers (10-7, 1-4 SEC) have dropped four straight since opening SEC play with a victory over Florida. Three of those four games came against national top-20 opponents in No. 7 Tennessee, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 9 South Carolina. In Auburn's last game, the Tigers were unable to come back from a large halftime deficit in a 68-58 loss to Arkansas.

Junior Janiah McKay scored her 1,000th career point in Sunday's game, becoming the 33rd Auburn player to reach that milestone. With 26 points in the game, McKay notched her third straight game with 25 or more points. She's the fourth Auburn player in the last 30 years to accomplish that feat, joining DeWanna Bonner (2009), Leticia Morris (1997) and Carolyn Jones (1991).

LSU (11-5, 3-2) has three wins in league play, including a home victory over Missouri and a road win at Florida on Sunday. Thursday's game could be a low-scoring affair as Auburn and LSU are two of the top defensive teams in the SEC.

The teams met on Senior Day in Auburn Arena last season with Auburn earning a come-from-behind, 54-49 victory. Auburn finished the game on an 11-1 run to earn its second straight victory over LSU.

Andy Burcham has the radio call with Brit Bowen in the studio on WTGZ 93.9 FM and online at AuburnTigers.com and TuneIn Radio. The game can be seen via SEC Network +, available online via WatchESPN or the ESPN app on mobile devices.

Auburn Quick Hitters

- This is the 53rd meeting between Auburn and LSU in women's basketball in a series that dates back to 1980
- Auburn leads the all-time series 31-21, including a 12-11 edge in Baton Rouge
- The Tigers have won the last two meetings; prior to that, LSU had won six straight
- Auburn earned a come-from-behind, 54-49 victory on Senior Night at Auburn Arena last season
- Auburn ranks in the top 5 nationally in steals per game (3rd - 14.1); turnovers forced per game (5th - 24.1) and turnover margin (3rd - +9.1).
- Auburn set a new school record by hitting 16-of-16 free throws in the game with Texas A&M (1/7)
- From the Tennessee game (1/4) into the third quarter of the South Carolina game (1/11), Auburn made 24 consecutive free throws
- The Tigers tied a school record for fewest turnovers with 5 vs. Florida on Dec. 31 while forcing the Gators into 28
- 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 15 of 17 games this season and 25+ turnovers in eight games
- Auburn has won 24 of its last 27 games when forcing at least 25 turnovers (6-2 this season)
- Junior point guard Janiah McKay is Auburn's top scorer with 17.4 points/game; she also leads team and ranks sixth in SEC in assists (4.7) and second in SEC in steals (2.9)
- McKay was 11-of-11 on free throws vs. Texas A&M (1/7), tying an Auburn record held by 3 other players; she made 20 in a row over a four-game stretch from Florida (12/31) through South Carolina (1/11)
- McKay has scored 25+ points in three straight games; she is the fourth Auburn player to accomplish that feat in the last 30 years
- McKay scored her 1,000th career point vs. Arkansas, becoming the 33rd player in Auburn history to hit that plateau
- McKay matched her career-high with 29 points vs. Louisiana Tech (11/19); also had 29 vs. UT and Alabama last year
- 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 and Southern; her 29 points at ULL was a career-high and the second-most ever by an Auburn freshman
- Thompson has 5 double-doubles this season: LA Tech (16/14), ULL (29/12), Southern (18/10), SE Louisiana (10/11), Arkansas (14/13); only two Auburn players have had more double-doubles as a freshman (DeWanna Bonner, Le'Coe Willingham)
- Thompson had six blocks vs. LA Tech, most for Auburn player since 2011 (Jassany Williams, 7 vs. Duke)
- 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
- 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); she also had 21 vs. Florida (12/31)
- Alexander is second on the team with 13.6 points/game; she has scored in double-figures in 14 of 17 games
- Alexander is third in the SEC with 2.6 steals/game
- Alexander had a career-high 6 assists vs. Texas A&M (1/7)

Last Time Out

>> Junior Janiah McKay scored her 1,000th career point and led the Tigers with 26, but Auburn could not overcome a large early deficit in a 68-58 loss to Arkansas Sunday at Auburn Arena.
>> The Tigers fell behind by 24 at halftime, thanks in large part to nine first-half 3-pointers from Arkansas. But the Tigers held the Razorbacks without a second-half trey and cut the deficit to single-digits late, outscoring Arkansas 41-27 in the second half.
>> McKay's 26 points led all scorers. She was 7-of-15 from the field and 12-of-14 at the free-throw line and now has 1,015 career points. With her 11th point of the game -- a jumper at the 6:48 mark of the third quarter -- she became Auburn's 33rd all-time 1,000-point scorer. It also marked McKay's third straight game with at least 25 points.
>> Freshman Unique Thompson recorded her fifth double-double of the season -- her first in SEC play - with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Noteworthy

A WIN OVER LSU WOULD...
>> Be Auburn's third straight against the Lady Tigers.
>> Snap a 4-game losing streak.
>> Be Auburn's second true road win of the year.
>> Be Coach Flo's 99th win at Auburn.

AUBURN vs. LSU
>> Auburn leads the all-time series with LSU 31-21. Auburn has won the last two meetings.
>> Auburn has a narrow edge in the series in games played in Baton Rouge with a 12-11 lead.

LAST MEETING (Feb. 23, 2017, in Auburn):
AUBURN 54, LSU 49
>> Auburn finished the game on an 11-1 run over the final 90 seconds, pulling off a come-from-behind 54-49 win over LSU Thursday night in SEC women's basketball action at Auburn Arena.
>> On a night when shots simply would not fall for Auburn, the Tigers found a way to win, getting key stops, forcing turnovers, taking charges and sinking free throws down the stretch to snap a six-game losing streak.
>> Brandy Montgomery led Auburn with 15 points on her Senior Night. The other two seniors, Katie Frerking and Khady Dieng, shared the team lead with six rebounds; Frerking also had 10 points. Sophomore Janiah McKay added 14 points to give Auburn three players in double-figures.

SCOUTING LSU
>> LSU is 11-5 overall this season and 2-3 in SEC play. The Lady Tigers have wins over Missouri and Florida to their credit in conference play and are 5-1 at home this year.
>> The Lady Tigers average 65.0 points/game while giving up 57.9/game. LSU forces 19.4 turnovers/game and averages 9.9 steals; their steals average ranks second in the league to Auburn.
>> Chloe Jackson leads LSU in scoring with 16.9 points/game. Raigyne Louis is second with 15.7 points/game and leads LSU in assists and steals. Ayana Mitchell is the top rebounder with 6.9/game.

SCOUTING AUBURN
>> Auburn is 10-7 on the season, 1-4 SEC, coming off four straight losses in conference play.
>> The Tigers are scoring 64.9 points per game while holding opponents to an SEC-best 56.5. Auburn's scoring defense ranks 24th nationally.
>> Junior point guard Janiah McKay has scored in double-figures in 16 of the Tigers' 16 games, including matching a career-high with 29 vs. Louisiana Tech. She also ranks second in the SEC in steals (2.9/game) and is sixth in assists (4.7/game).
>> Freshman Unique Thompson has been a breakout star, twice earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors while averaging 11.2 points and 9.2 rebounds. She has five double-doubles on the season, including three straight vs. ULL, Southern and Southeastern La. She had her best SEC game against Texas A&M with 22 points and 9 rebounds, then followed that up with a double-double against Arkansas (14 points/13 rebounds).
>> Senior forward Jazmine Jones is averaging 5.8 points/game. She had a season-high 9 rebounds vs. Texas A&M.
>> Sophomore Daisa Alexander has been another breakout star, averaging 13.6 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. She added 21 points in the win over Florida, 17 vs. Texas A&M and 16 at South Carolina.
>> Auburn has forced at least 20 turnovers in 15 of 17 games this season and has forced 25 or more eight times (29 vs. LA Tech; 25 vs. Northwestern, 35 vs. ULM; 26 vs. Southern; 31 vs. SE Louisiana; 30 vs. XULA; 28 vs. Florida; 28 at Tennessee).

SHE'S THE REAL MCKAY
>> Junior Janiah McKay continues to be Auburn's do-everything player in her third year as the Tigers' starting point guard. In the Tigers' first 17 games, she has averaged 17.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.9 steals. She is second in the SEC in steals and is sixth in assists. Her 8 rebounds vs. N.C. A&T were a career-high.
>> McKay has moved into the Auburn career top-15 in assists with 265 in her career; she currently ranks 15th.
>> McKay scored her 1,000th career point against Arkansas on Jan. 14, becoming the 33rd player in Auburn history with 1,000 points.
>> She matched a career-high with 29 points in the Tigers' win over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 19. McKay previously scored 29 vs. Tennessee and Alabama last season.
>> In a road win at Indiana on Dec. 3, McKay scored 22 points - her second-straight 20-point effort - and led Auburn with 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals.
>> McKay totaled 16 assists over a two-game back-to-back on Dec. 8-9, racking up 9 assists and 10 points at ULL and 7 assists, 14 points vs. Southern.
>> Against her hometown Florida Gators, the Gainesville, Fla., native scored 25 points - 19 in the second half - to lead Auburn to an 84-55 win on Dec. 31.

A SCORING MACHINE
>> Janiah McKay has scored 25 or more points in three consecutive games - 25 vs. Texas A&M, 27 at South Carolina and 26 vs. Arkansas. She is the third Auburn player in the last 30 seasons to accomplish that feat, joining DeWanna Bonner (2009), Leticia Morris (1997) and Carolyn Jones (1991).
>> McKay has five games with 25+ points this season and 10 in her career. According to Auburn records, only four other players have had more 25-point games in their career: DeWanna Bonner (24), Becky Jackson (17), Carolyn Jones (15) and Vickie Orr (11).

A UNIQUE TALENT FROM DAY ONE
>> Freshman Unique Thompson made an immediate impact in her first collegiate game, posting a 9-point, 16-rebound performance at Virginia Tech on Nov. 13. She became the sixth Auburn freshman since 2005 to earn a start in her collegiate debut.
>> Thompson's 16 rebounds were the most by an Auburn player since Tra'Cee Tanner had 19 at Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 30, 2015. It marked the most by an Auburn freshman since Le'Coe Willingham had 16 vs. South Carolina on Feb. 3, 2000.
>> She followed that up with 11 points and 7 rebounds vs. N.C. A&T, then got her first career double-double with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks vs. Louisiana Tech. Her performance earned her SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 21.
>> Thompson earned a second SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Dec. 12 after back-to-back double-doubles at Louisiana-Lafayette and vs. Southern. She scored a career-high 29 points with 12 rebounds at ULL, then came back with 18 points, 10 rebounds vs. Southern. In just the fourth quarters of those two games, she scored a combined 25 points.
>> She posted a third-straight double-double and fourth of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds vs. Southeastern Louisiana.
>> Thompson's 6 blocks vs. LA Tech were the most by an Auburn player since Jassany Williams had 7 vs. Duke in 2011. She also had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, making her the first Auburn player with a double-double by halftime since DeWanna Bonner in 2009.
>> Thompson suffered an ankle injury vs. Northwestern and missed Auburn's next two games vs. Chattanooga and UL-Monroe. She returned to the starting lineup at Indiana on Dec. 3.

SEEING DOUBLE
>> Unique Thompson has all five of Auburn's double-doubles on the season. She earned her first SEC double-double against Arkansas on Jan. 14 with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
>> Thompson's five double-doubles are tied for third in Auburn history among freshmen. Le'Coe Willingham is the all-time leader with 7 double-doubles as a freshman in 1999-2000. C.C. Hayden had six as a freshman in 1989-90, and DeWanna Bonner (2005-06) and Vickie Orr (1985-86) each had five during their freshmen seasons.

Looking Ahead

>> The Tigers travel to Athens, Ga., to face the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on Sunday, Jan. 21. Game time is 2 p.m. CT at Stegeman Coliseum with the broadcast on SEC Network.