GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Auburn women's basketball team will begin its week at the SEC Tournament Thursday night when the Tigers take on Alabama in the second round. Game time is approximately 7:30 p.m. CT at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The No. 6 seed Tigers (21-8) will face 11th-seeded Alabama (14-16) for the third time this season. Auburn won the first two meetings, defeating the Crimson Tide 66-56 in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 10 and winning 77-38 at home on Feb. 17.
Thursday's game will begin 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first game of the session between Georgia and Arkansas.
This is Auburn's 40th appearance in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers are 37-37 all-time in the event and have won four titles, capturing the championship in 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1997. Last year, Auburn dropped a heartbreaker to Tennessee 64-61 in the second round in Nashville, Tenn.
Auburn is coming off a 56-46 win at LSU on Sunday to close out the regular season. It was the Tigers' ninth win in conference play, giving Auburn a winning record in league play for the first time since 2009. The victory in Baton Rouge was also Auburn's sixth on the road in league play this year, setting a new program record for road conference wins.
Thursday's game can be seen on SEC Network with Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck and Steffi Sorensen calling the action. Andy Burcham will have the radio call beginning 15 minutes prior to tip on WTGZ 93.9 FM and online at AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics mobile app.
QUICK HITS
• This is the 91st meeting between Auburn and Alabama in women's basketball, the second-most played series in the SEC
• Auburn leads the series 52-38, but Alabama is 3-1 when the teams meet in the SEC Tournament
• Auburn swept the two regular-season meetings between the teams, winning 66-56 in Tuscaloosa and 77-38 at home
• This is the first time Auburn has played Alabama three times in a season since 2001, which was also the last time the teams met in the SEC Tournament
• Auburn is one made 3-pointer away from tying the school record for single-season 3-point field goals (181 in 2016-17)
• Auburn has 21 regular-season wins for the first time since 2009
• Auburn is 37-37 all-time in the SEC Tournament and is appearing as a No. 6 seed for the sixth time
• With Auburn's road win at LSU on March 3, the Tigers set a new school record for road victories in conference play (6)
• Senior Janiah McKay was named to the All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Defensive Team
• Freshman Robyn Benton earned a selection to the SEC All-Freshman Team
• The win over Missouri on Feb. 24 provided Auburn's 20th win of the season, securing the 22nd 20-win season in program history and the second under Terri Williams-Flournoy
• Auburn's win over #25 Missouri on Feb. 24 was Auburn's first over a ranked opponent since 2016, snapping a 21-game skid against top-25 foes
• Auburn leads the SEC and ranks 6th in the NCAA in steals per game (12.1)
• Auburn has forced 20 or more turnovers in 20 of 29 games this season
• The Tigers are averaging 23.1 points per game off opponent turnovers
• In a 77-38 win on Feb. 24, the Tigers held Alabama to the lowest output by an SEC opponent since holding Georgia to 26 points in 2015
• Auburn's 39-point win over Alabama on Feb. 17 was its third largest margin of victory in the 90-game history of the series
• Sophomore Unique Thompson has recorded 12 double-doubles in 29 games, she now has 19 in her career, tied for 7th-most in Auburn history
• Thompson is the third player in Auburn history with 500+ rebounds in her first two seasons
• Senior Janiah McKay became Auburn's 12th all-time player to reach the 1,500-point plateau; she is now 10th in scoring in Auburn history with 1,599 points after passing Angie Hannah (1,583) vs. South Carolina
• McKay is the first player in Auburn history with 1,500 points, 400 assists and 200 steals, and the first to be in the Auburn career top-10 in all three categories
• Junior Daisa Alexander averaged 14.9 points in SEC play to lead the Tigers
AUBURN IN THE SEC TOURNAMENT
›› This is the 40th appearance in the SEC Tournament for Auburn. The Tigers are 37-37 all-time and own four SEC Tournament titles in 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1997.
›› This is coach Terri Williams-Flournoy's 7th appearance in the SEC Tournament as Auburn's head coach. The Tigers are 3-6 in the tournament under Coach Flo. She was an assistant at Georgia in 2001 when the Lady Bulldogs won the tournament title.
›› Auburn is the No. 6 seed for the sixth time. The Tigers are 4-7 all-time as the sixth seeded team.
›› Previous appearances as the No. 6 seed: 1983 (beat Kentucky, lost to Ole Miss, lost to Tennessee in consolation game); 1994 (beat LSU, lost to Florida); 2008 (beat Arkansas, lost to Vanderbilt); 2011 (lost to Mississippi State); 2014 (beat Ole Miss, lost to Texas A&M).
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Give Auburn its 22nd win of the season, which would be the most under Terri Williams-Flournoy.
›› Advance Auburn to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2016.
›› Be Auburn's third win over Alabama this season.
›› Give Auburn its second all-time win over Alabama in the SEC Tournament.
AUBURN VS. ALABAMA
›› This is the 91st meeting between Auburn and Alabama in women's basketball and the third this season. It is the second-most played women's basketball series in the SEC, behind only Ole Miss-Mississippi State.
›› Auburn is 52-38 all-time against Alabama, but the Crimson Tide own a 5-3 advantage at neutral sites and a 3-1 edge in the SEC Tournament.
›› Auburn has won 7 of the last 9 and 10 of the last 13 meetings between the teams, dating back to 2013.
›› This is the fifth meeting between Auburn and Alabama in the SEC Tournament and the first since 2001.
UP NEXT
›› With a win, Auburn would face No. 3 seed Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, March 8, at approximately 7:30 p.m. CT. With a loss, Auburn would await its postseason destination; the NCAA Selection Show is Monday, March 18.