AUBURN, Ala. – After a nine-day break for final exams, the Auburn women's basketball team begins a stretch of four games in seven days Sunday when the Tigers host Samford at Auburn Arena. Game time is set for 2 p.m. CT.
Sunday's contest is the annual Toys for Tots game and Teddy Bear Toss. Fans that bring a new, unwrapped toy can receive a free general admission ticket, and fans can bring a teddy bear to throw onto the court at halftime for a chance to win a prize. In addition, Aubie Claus and Santa Claus will be in attendance; Aubie Claus will be available for photos near the entrance to the Courtside Lounge.
The Tigers (7-1) are looking to extend both a four-game win streak and their best start in 10 seasons as the Bulldogs visit Auburn Arena. It will be the third all-time meeting between the teams; Auburn has won both prior contests.
Senior Janiah McKay is coming off her best game of the season, a 21-point effort in an 81-70 victory at St. Joseph's last week that included several clutch free throws in the fourth quarter to fend off a late surge by the Hawks. She is one of five Auburn players averaging double-figure scoring, more than any other SEC team.
Sunday's game kicks off a busy week for the Tigers where they will play four games in seven days. After the Samford game, Auburn will travel to Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Monday for two games – Tuesday vs. Coastal Carolina; Thursday vs. North Carolina – then on to Elon, N.C. where they will face Elon on Saturday afternoon.
Samford (3-7) has dropped two straight games, the last being a 53-48 setback at Memphis on Sunday. The Bulldogs are led by junior point guard Charity Brown, who averages 5.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds to lead the team in both categories.
Andy Burcham, Larry DiChiara and Brit Bowen will provide the radio broadcast on WTGZ 93.9 FM and online at AuburnTigers.com; airtime is 1:45 p.m. Rod Bramblett and Joe Ciampi have the call on the SEC Network +, available via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.
PROMOTIONS
• Toys for Tots Drive - Bring a new, unwrapped toy and receive a general admission ticket
• Teddy Bear Toss at halftime
• Santa Claus & Aubie Claus Appearance
• Team Holiday Card Giveaway
QUICK HITS
• This is the third all-time meeting between Auburn and Samford in women's basketball
• Auburn is 2-0 all-time against the Bulldogs
• Auburn won the last meeting 64-41 on Dec. 14, 2014, in Auburn
• Auburn's 81-70 win at St. Joseph's on Dec. 6 gave the Tigers a 7-1 start to the season, their best under Coach Flo and the best since the 2008-09 team won its first 20 games
• The Tigers have five players averaging double-figure scoring, more than any other SEC team
• Auburn is 74-30 in non-conference games under Terri Williams-Flournoy and has won 17 out of their last 18 at home
• The Tigers have won 11 consecutive home non-conference games dating back to the 2016-17 season
• Auburn is 234-55 all-time in the month of December; Coach Flo is 34-9 in December at Auburn
• Under Coach Flo, Auburn is 5-0 when scoring at least 90 points and 27-1 when scoring at least 80 points
• Senior Janiah McKay moved up to 18th all-time in scoring at Auburn with a season-high 21 points at St. Joseph's; she now has 1,311 points
• McKay is second in the SEC with 5.5 assists/game; she is 10th all-time at Auburn with 358 career assists
• Sophomore Unique Thompson has recorded five double-doubles in eight games, including three straight against New Mexico, Iowa State and UL-Lafayette
• With 12.5 rebounds per game, Thompson leads the SEC and ranks 6th in the nation
• Thompson's 8.9 defensive rebounds per game are second in the SEC and rank 5th nationally
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Be Auburn's 14th non-conference win in its last 15 games.
›› Be Auburn's 12th straight home non-conference win.
›› Give Auburn a 3-0 record all-time against Samford.
›› Give the Tigers a 8-1 start, their best of the Coach Flo era and the best since Auburn won its first 20 games to open the 2008-09 season.
AUBURN VS. SAMFORD
›› This is the third meeting between Auburn and Samford; both previous meetings were in Auburn.
›› Auburn has won both prior meetings, most recently a 64-41 victory on Dec. 14, 2014.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
›› Samford is 3-7 on the season with wins over Rhodes College, Alabama State and Presbyterian. The Bulldogs come into Sunday's game having dropped two straight to UAB and Memphis.
›› The Bulldogs average 57.4 points per game and give up 66.1 per outing.
›› Charity Brown is one of the nation's top point guards statistically; she averages 5.7 assists/game and is also the Bulldogs' leading rebounder with 5.4/game. Natalie Armstrong leads Samford in scoring with 8.2 points/game.
›› Samford was picked to finish seventh in the Southern Conference by the league's coaches.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
›› Auburn is 7-1 on the season. The Tigers have wins over Grambling, Nicholls, New Mexico, UL-Lafayette, Xavier (La.), Oklahoma and St. Joseph's while dropping a 3-point game at Iowa State. The Tigers are No. 45 in the latest NCAA RPI (as of Dec. 12).
›› Sophomore forward Unique Thompson is a force under the basket and has been key to Auburn's success early this year. She has five double-doubles in seven games and leads the Tigers with 14.4 points and 12.5 rebounds. As a freshman last season, she averaged 11.5 ppg and 8.4 rpg with 7 double-doubles, tying the Auburn freshman record.
›› Senior point guard Janiah McKay averages 14.0 points/game; she is also third in the SEC with 5.5 assists/game. McKay is the Tigers' leading returning scorer for the second straight season after averaging 16.6 ppg last season. McKay ranks 18th in career scoring at Auburn with 1,311 points.
›› Junior Daisa Alexander had a breakout sophomore season where she scored 14.2 points/game and led the SEC with 2.8 steals/game, earning a nod to the SEC All-Defensive Team. So far this season, Alexander is averaging 12.8 points/game and had a career-high 8 assists vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.
›› Senior Emari Jones has been one of Auburn's most consistent scorers so far in 2018-19, averaging 11.5 points/game and scoring in double-figures in five games so far. In 2017-18, she started 16 games and averaged 5.0 points. She transferred to Auburn prior to the 2016-17 season after a year at Shawnee CC in Ullin, Ill., where she was the nation's leading junior college scorer with 746 points in 2015-16.
›› Redshirt junior Crystal Primm has given Auburn consistent minutes through her first four games on The Plains, averaging 10.1 points and 3.3 rebounds. Primm transferred from Duke following the 2016-17 season.
UP NEXT
›› Auburn hits the road for its next three games, beginning with a pair of contests at the Carolinas Challenge in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Tigers face Coastal Carolina on Tuesday and North Carolina on Thursday; both games start at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
Auburn women host Samford Sunday at Auburn Arena
