AUBURN, Ala. – After three straight home games and a week off, the Auburn women's basketball team is back on the road Sunday as the Tigers travel to Athens, Ga., to face Georgia. Game time is 1 p.m. CT at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Tigers (6-9, 0-4 SEC) are seeking their first league win after a tough start to SEC play. Despite the early struggles, junior Unique Thompson has continued her strong play, picking up double-doubles in three of four league games so far. She leads the nation with 14 on the season and is also the national leader in offensive rebounding, averaging 5.3 per game.
Georgia (10-7, 1-3) has also had trouble in the early going of SEC play, dropping their last three after opening the conference slate with a win at Ole Miss.
It will be the 50th all-time meeting between Auburn and Georgia with the Lady Bulldogs owning a 30-19 advantage in the series to date. Last season, Auburn rallied from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to earn a 59-58 overtime win at home.
Brit Bowen will call the action courtside beginning at 12:45 p.m. CT on WTGZ 93.9 FM and online at AuburnTigers.com and the official Auburn Tigers app. The game is slated for a national TV broadcast on ESPNU with Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty on the call.
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Snap a 4-game losing streak.
›› Be Auburn's first win in Athens since 2015.
AUBURN-GEORGIA SERIES
›› Auburn is 19-30 all-time against Georgia, including a 5-18 record in Athens. The Tigers' last win at Stegeman Coliseum was a 44-26 defensive struggle in 2015.
LAST MEETING: Feb. 3, 2019 (at Auburn)
Auburn 59, Georiga 58 (OT)
›› A furious rally to force overtime led and clutch free throws in the extra period led the Auburn women's basketball team to a 59-58 win over Georgia Sunday afternoon at Auburn Arena.
›› The Tigers snapped a four-game skid against Georgia that dated to 2016 and rallied from a double-digit deficit for the second time in SEC play.
›› After Auburn trailed by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, junior Crystal Primm hit a game-tying layup with 13 seconds left to send it to overtime at 49-49. The Tigers then went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in overtime – including 4-for-4 from Primm in the final 34 seconds – and held off a last-second shot from Georgia to secure their first home SEC win of the season.
›› With 15.6 seconds left in overtime and Auburn trailing 58-57 with the ball in the frontcourt, Janiah McKay drove for what would have been the go-ahead layup. After she missed, Primm grabbed the rebound and was fouled on the put-back attempt. Both free throws were good, and after Georgia called timeout to advance, the Bulldogs' 3-point attempt missed and time expired to give the Tigers a stirring victory.
›› Auburn overcame its worst shooting game of the season (30.4%) by forcing 28 Georgia turnovers – 11 in the fourth quarter alone – converting those into 22 points. The Tigers had a season-high 21 steals and out-rebounded Georgia 37-36.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
›› Georgia is 10-7 on the season and 1-3 in SEC play. The Lady Bulldogs' lone league win came at Ole MIss in the SEC opener on Jan. 2.
›› Georgia averages 64.1 points per game while holding opponents to 60.1. They are the top free throw-shooting team in the SEC at 73.8%.
›› Gabby Connally leads the Lady Bulldogs with 12.6 points and 3.9 assists per game; she is also second in the SEC in free throws at 82.7%.
SCOUTING AUBURN
›› The Tigers are among the most inexperienced teams in the country with just two upperclassmen on their 13-player roster. With four freshmen and seven sophomores, Auburn is one of just eight teams nationwide with three or fewer upperclassmen on its roster.
›› Auburn averages 68.6 points per game but gives up 74.3; the Tigers lead the SEC with 10.9 steals per game.
›› Junior forward Unique Thompson has 14 double-doubles through 15 games, averaging 16.9 points and 12.1 rebounds; she is the leading rebounder and fifth-leading scorer in the Southeastern Conference. She has 34 career double-doubles, which ranks 3rd in Auburn history and second among active SEC players.
›› Senior guard Daisa Alexander is the Tigers' second-leading scorer, averaging 13.9 points/game. She scored her 1,000th career point against Jacksonville State on Dec. 28, becoming the 34th Tiger to reach that milestone. Alexander also ranks fifth in the SEC in steals (2.3/game). Alexander has missed the last two games with an ankle injury suffered Jan. 5 vs. Arkansas.
›› Sophomore Brooke Moore gives Auburn a third player in double figures at 11.6 points/game. She is Auburn's leading scorer through four conference games at 12.5 points/game. She scored a season-high 20 points at South Alabama, hitting 4-of-6 3-point attempts.
UP NEXT
›› The Tigers are back inside Auburn Arena next Thursday, Jan. 23, when Ole Miss visits The Plains. Game time is 6 p.m. CT.