AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's basketball team is back inside Auburn Arena Thursday night as the Tigers welcome the 12th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats to The Plains. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CT with a national broadcast on SEC Network.
Thursday's game was originally scheduled for Jan. 14 but postponed due to COVID-19 issues. Tickets for the original game date will be valid for Thursday's game.
Tickets are available at AuburnTigers.com and at the arena ticket office on gameday. All tickets are $6 and good for general admission seating in the 100 level of the arena. All persons inside Auburn Arena are required to wear a face covering and practice appropriate social distancing. For more information, visit the women's basketball gameday page at AuburnTigers.com.
The Tigers are playing their first home game in 18 days, following a trip to Ole Miss Jan. 7, the next two games postponed, and another road game at Florida on Sunday. A shorthanded Auburn team, with just nine players dressed, fought hard but came up short against the Gators in their last outing.
Kentucky, ranked No. 12 in both national polls, is coming off an 80-73 win over Vanderbilt at home Sunday.
For the latest on Auburn women's basketball, follow @AuburnWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
ON THE AIR
›› Brit Bowen and Larry DiChiara will have the radio call beginning at 7:15 p.m. CT on WQSI 93.9 FM in Auburn and online at AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics app.
›› The game can be seen nationally on SEC Network with Eric Frede and Christy Thomaskutty calling the action.
LAST TIME OUT
›› A shorthanded Auburn women's basketball team stayed within striking distance of Florida throughout, but the Tigers could not overcome a poor shooting first half in a 68-54 loss Sunday at the O'Connell Center.
›› The Tigers traveled just eight scholarship players and one walk-on to Florida after a week that saw two games postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. But despite trailing by as many as 18 in the third quarter, Auburn cut the deficit to as few as seven midway through the fourth.
›› Unique Thompson, playing for the first time in four weeks, picked up where she left off with her eighth double-double of the season, posting 14 points and 14 rebounds. She also led Auburn with four assists and shared the team lead with two steals. Honesty Scott-Grayson led the Tigers with 18 points, and Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu added a career-high nine points in her first collegiate start.
›› Despite numerous good looks at the basket, the Tigers shot a season-low 27.9 percent from the field (19-68) while Florida was 25-of-59 (42.4%). The Tigers' defense came up big, especially in the second half, turning 12 Florida turnovers into 20 points. But despite out-rebounding the Gators 44-41, including 20 offensive rebounds, Auburn was only able to eke out two second-chance points.
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Snap a five-game losing streak.
›› Break a five-game skid against Kentucky.
›› Be the 99th Auburn women's basketball victory at Auburn Arena.
›› Be Auburn's highest-ranked win since defeating then-No. 7 Kentucky 66-61 on Jan. 3, 2016.
AUBURN-KENTUCKY SERIES
›› Auburn is 26-24 all-time against Kentucky, but the Wildcats have won five straight and 12 of the last 13 meetings. The Tigers lead 11-10 in Auburn.
LAST MEETING: Jan. 27, 2020 in Lexington
#12 Kentucky 68, Auburn 61
›› Auburn fought back from a 20-point deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter but was unable to pull out the victory as No. 12 Kentucky held on for a 68-61 win at Memorial Coliseum.
›› The Tigers trailed by 16 at the half and as many as 20 midway through the second quarter, but went on an 11-0 run to open the second half and never allowed Kentucky to pull away. Auburn was within two points with under a minute to go but was unable to score again as the Wildcats knocked down five free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.
›› Unique Thompson had one of her best performances at Auburn, picking up her nation-leading 17th double-double in 18 games with a game-high 27 points and 15 rebounds, hitting 11-of-14 attempts from the field.
›› The Tigers had turnover troubles throughout, finishing with 26 that led to 25 Kentucky points. Auburn forced Kentucky into 20 turnovers, turning those into 16 points. Auburn out-shot Kentucky, hitting 45.5 percent (25-55) from the floor to UK's 42.9 percent (24-56), but the Wildcats knocked down 11 3-pointers. Auburn out-rebounded UK 36-29 and scored 38 points in the paint to UK's 20.
UP NEXT
›› Auburn hits the road for the fourth time in its first six conference games, traveling across the state to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. Game time is 1 p.m. CT Sunday with a national broadcast on ESPNU.
Auburn women welcome No. 12 Kentucky Thursday
