No. 15 Auburn Faces No. 3 LSU in Baton Rouge Sunday

March 2, 2018

No. 15 Auburn at No. 3 LSU

• Meet Notes
• SEC Network | Watch ESPN
• Location

MEET

AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" The No. 15 Auburn gymnastics team will close out its Southeastern Conference slate Sunday, March 4, traveling to No. 2 LSU. The two Tiger squads will go head-to-head at 2:30 p.m. CT and the meet will be televised on SEC Network.

"We'll be in front of another loud and active crowd Sunday in Baton Rouge against a team that is on fire right now," head coach Jeff Graba said. "I think this is going to be a good meet for us as a young team and its all set up for us to click and get a good road score. The goal is to keep the crazy environment out of our minds and focus on what we are capable of doing."

AUBURN LINEUP
The Auburn lineup is full of youth against Alabama as 15 of the 24 routines will come from five freshmen and four sophomores.

Auburn opens on bars with freshman Drew Watson leading off. The Tyler, Texas, product has scored a 9.8 or higher in three of the last four meets for Auburn. Sophomore Kendal Moss and junior Taylor Krippner follow with sophomore Gracie Day going fourth. Back from an appendectomy three weeks ago is junior Samantha Cerio as she's set to go fifth for the squad. The Huntersville, N.C., product has a team-best four titles in the event. Redshirt junior Abby Milliet is slated to anchor the first rotation.

The Tigers move on to vault and will be led by Day, Watson, and freshman Jada Glenn. The trio are capable of putting together three-straight 10.0 vaults for the squad. Day has captured three event titles this year and ranks in the Top 30 with a 9.865 RQS. Watson reached a career high vs. Alabama with a 9.9 to up her RQS to 9.870, ranking t-23rd nationally. Glenn has anchored the event all season for the Tigers. Sophomore Katie Becker will lead off with juniors A'Miracal Phillips and Krippner following. Krippner recently set a career best, having a 9.9 vs. Alabama.

AU will feature a youthful floor squad with three freshmen, two sophomores, and one junior. Freshman Ashley Smith leads off for the 10th-straight meet and will be followed by Glenn and Watson. Watson is coming off back-to-back 9.875s for the Tigers. Redshirt sophomore Emma Slappey and Day will follow and Milliet will anchor. Day shared the event title last week vs. Alabama with a career-high 9.925 and Milliet's 9.885 RQS is tied for 19th nationally.

Rotation four is beam where five of six Tigers are among the Top 25 in the Central Region. Freshman Allie Riddle will lead off once again with Cerio going second and classmate Meredith Sylvia going third. Riddle and Sylvia are 21st and 24th, respectively, in the region. Slappey follows, while Milliet and Krippner will close out the rotation. Milliet is among the nation's best in the event, ranking 11th overall with a 9.9 RQS.

SCOUTING LSU
The LSU Tigers entered the week as the No. 3 team nationally with a RQS of 197.545. The squad has recorded a 198 or higher in two of its last three meets.

LSU ranks No. 1 on bars (49.515) and floor (49.490). The team is third nationally on beam (49.415) and are fifth on vault (49.360).

Junior Sarah Finnegan is second nationally in the all-around with an RQS of 39.610. She's also tied for second on bars (9.940) and is fourth on beam (9.920). Senior Myia Hambrick is fifth in the all-around (39.580) and first on floor (9.965).

Head coach D-D Breaux leads the team in her 41st season. LSU is first in the SEC with a 6-0 mark and are 12-1 overall.

AUBURN/LSU SERIES HISTORY
LSU leads the all-time series with a 76-15 overall mark and are 24-4 in meets competed in Baton Rouge. LSU is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings with Auburn coming out on top at the 2015 NCAA Semifinal to advance to the Super Six.

Auburn's last win in Baton Rouge came in 2006 where the visiting Tigers came away with a 196.700-196.550 victory.

UP NEXT
Auburn caps the regular season at the annual Elevate the Stage meet, facing off with Alabama in a non-conference showdown. The podium meet will be held in Huntsville, Ala., at the Von Braun Center and will kick off at 7 p.m. CT.

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