Auburn hosts Oklahoma State for SEC/Big 12 Challenge

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Grayson Belanger/AU Athletics

AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's basketball team looks to keep its home winning streak going as the Tigers host Oklahoma State as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Game time is 2 p.m. CT Sunday at Auburn Arena.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear white for Sunday's game. In addition, fans that attend Saturday's men's basketball game vs. Yale can show their tickets from that game to receive free admission for Sunday's contest.
 
The Tigers (4-3) have won two straight and three of their last four after a big defensive stand late in the game helped Auburn to a 72-65 win over a tough North Florida team Tuesday night. Auburn will be hosting an SEC/Big 12 Challenge game for the second time; the Tigers defeated Oklahoma 95-79 in 2018.
 
Oklahoma State (3-3) is playing its first game in over a week after a pair of losses to Green Bay and Tennessee at the South Point Shootout in Las Vegas last weekend. This will be the first meeting between Auburn and Oklahoma State in women's basketball.
 
Tickets are available at the Auburn Arena Ticket Office on gameday or in advance by visiting AUBTix.com or calling 855-282-2010.
 
ON THE AIR
››          Brit Bowen and Larry DiChiara will have the radio call beginning at 1:45 p.m. CT on WQSI 93.9 FM; the broadcast can be heard online at AuburnTigers.com and via the Auburn Athletics mobile app.
››          The game can be seen on SEC Network + with Brad Law and Joe Ciampi calling the action. SEC Network + is available via WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app for mobile devices and smart TVs.
 
LAST TIME OUT
››          The Auburn women's basketball team withstood a second-half offensive barrage from North Florida, playing strong defense down the stretch to earn a 72-65 win Tuesday night at Auburn Arena.
››          Led by another big night from sophomore Aicha Coulibaly, the Tigers (4-3) overcame a late deficit with a 12-2 run over the last five minutes to pick up their second straight win at home.
››          Coulibaly led four Tigers in double figures, topping the 20-point mark for the second straight game. She finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. Scott-Grayson overcame early foul trouble to post a 13-point night, and Sania Wells and Annie Hughes added 10 apiece. Wells was clutch at the free-throw line, hitting 8-of-8 attempts as she stayed nearly perfect on the season.
››          As a team, Auburn matched a season-best from the floor, shooting 44.6 percent. The Tigers really came up big at the free-throw line, hitting 18-of-22 attempts for 81.8 percent. Auburn out-rebounded UNF 35-27 and turned 19 Osprey turnovers into 28 points. North Florida out-shot Auburn, hitting 45.8 percent from the field, including six 3-pointers.
 
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
››          Give the Tigers their fourth straight home victory.
››          Be Auburn's second win over a Big 12 opponent in their last three opportunities.
››          Improve the Tigers' all-time non-conference record at Auburn Arena to 65-10.
 
AUBURN-OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES
››          This is the first meeting between Auburn and Oklahoma State in women's basketball. Auburn is 5-9 all-time against current members of the Big 12.
 
AUBURN IN THE SEC/BIG 12 CHALLENGE
Dec. 7, 2019: TCU 80, Auburn 65 (Fort Worth)
››          Unique Thompson scored a career-high 31 points, but early foul trouble and turnovers cost Auburn in an 80-65 loss at TCU. Auburn turned the ball over 19 times, leading to 26 points for TCU, and multiple Tigers missed significant minutes with foul trouble; two players fouled out. The Horned Frogs took advantage, getting into the bonus every quarter and hitting 23-of-33 free throws for the game.
Dec. 2, 2018: Auburn 95, Oklahoma 79 (Auburn)
››          Auburn hit 13 3-pointers to set a new school record as the Tigers defeated Oklahoma 95-79. Led by a double-double from Unique Thompson, five players scored in double-figures for the Tigers, who snapped an eight-game losing streak against Big 12 opponents and earned their 11th straight home non-conference win.
Dec. 1, 2016: Kansas State 71, #23 Auburn 66 (Manhattan)
››          Senior Katie Frerking scored a season-high 22 points, but No. 23 Auburn could not overcome foul trouble and a big rebounding deficit in a 71-66 loss at Kansas State. The Tigers had three players -- two key rebounders -- foul out and saw an early rebounding advantage turned into a big deficit by the end of the game. Despite that, the Tigers rallied to take a five-point lead midway through the fourth quarter but could not hang on.
 
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
››          Oklahoma State enters Sunday's game at 3-3 on the season. The Cowgirls dropped their last two contests, falling to Green Bay and Tennessee in a tournament in Las Vegas last weekend.
››          The Cowgirls average 55.5 points per game but only give up 55.0; only one team (Tennessee) has topped the 60-point mark against OSU.
››          Lauren Fields leads the Cowgirls with 12.7 points/game, and Taylen Collins is OSU's top rebounder with 6.2 per contest.
››          Oklahoma State was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 in a vote of the league's coaches. The Cowgirls finished third in the league last year at 19-9 overall, 13-5 in conference play.
 
SCOUTING AUBURN
››          Auburn is 4-3 after a hard-fought victory over North Florida Tuesday night at Auburn Arena. The Tigers have won four of their last five games.
››          The Tigers return 3 starters and 9 letterwinners from its 2020-21 team that finished 5-19 overall, 0-15 in SEC play.
››          Sophomore Aicha Coulibaly is Auburn's leading scorer and rebounder with 16.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. She has topped the 20-point mark in two straight contests, scoring a career-high 27 against Charleston Southern and following that up with 23 against North Florida. Coulibaly averaged 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds as a freshman.
››          Redshirt junior Honesty Scott-Grayson is averaging 12.0 points and 7.7 rebounds through seven games this year, and she has recorded two double-doubles. She is the Tigers' leading returner from 2020-21 in most statistical categories: scoring (14.5 ppg), rebounding (4.1 rpg), assists (1.7 apg), steals (2.1 APG) and shooting (.406 FG/.301 3FG/.761 FT).
››          Junior Sania Wells has returned to her natural position of point guard and is averaging 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists; she averaged 3.3 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season.
››          Junior Annie Hughes and redshirt senior Kiyae' White look to be a part of the Tigers' regular rotation as well. Hughes is the only Tiger to appear in every game each of the last two seasons; she averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 20-21. White missed all but one game last season, but as a redshirt sophomore in 2019-20, she averaged 4.0 points and 4.8 rebounds. Hughes scored a career-high 21 points and hit 5 3-pointers against Charleston Southern on Nov. 26.
››          The Tigers will be without sophomore Romi Levy for the 2021-22 season after she suffered a torn ACL in practice just before the start of the season.
››          Transfers Xaria Wiggins and Paris Mullins look to provide depth off the bench for the Tigers, along with freshmen Amoura Graves and Mar'Shaun Bostic. Redshirt sophomore walk-on Adaora Onwumelu made her collegiate debut at Old Dominion with five rebounds in seven minutes.
 
UP NEXT
››          After a week off for final exams, the Tigers are back inside Auburn Arena next Sunday, Dec. 12, to host New Orleans. Game time is 2 p.m. with a broadcast on SEC Network.