AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's basketball team got a fight from Tuskegee Thursday night, but the Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 81-59 win in an exhibition game at Neville Arena.
Auburn saw their neighbors from just down Highway 29 cut a 17-point deficit to 10 at the end of three quarters, but the Tigers turned six Tuskegee turnovers into eight points in the final frame to secure the preseason victory.
"I thought we battled," Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris said. "What we do is try to wear people out. At the end, they started turning the ball over, but that was a result of what we did to them in the first, second and third quarters. We made some mistakes, but I thought our pressure finally wore them down."
Three players scored in double-figures for Auburn, led by a 17-point night from senior Honesty Scott-Grayson to lead all scorers. Junior Aicha Coulibaly recorded a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and freshman Sydney Shaw made the most of her first collegiate action with 13 points and a game-high seven assists. Shaw also led the Tigers with four steals.
All 12 players dressed for Auburn saw game action as three freshmen – Shaw, Kharyssa Richardson and Kaitlyn Duhon – earned a starting spot, and fellow newcomers Jakayla Johnson and Mya Pratcher played for Auburn for the first time.
Redshirt sophomore Romi Levy, who missed the 2021-22 season with a torn ACL, scored four points and grabbed three rebounds in just under 10 minutes of action, her first since March of 2021.
Duhon and junior Precious Johnson scored seven points apiece, senior Sania Wells added five, and Jakayla Johnson and Pratcher had four apiece.
The Tigers shook off a slow start to shoot 46.2 percent from the floor (30-65) while holding Tuskegee to 28.8 percent (21-73). Tuskegee, however, crashed the boards early and often, out-rebounding Auburn 51-45.
Auburn was able to control the paint offensively, though, scoring 48 points to Tuskegee's 28. The Tigers were successful in transition as well with 30 points on fast breaks and 22 points off 23 Tuskegee turnovers.
JuToreiya Willis led the Golden Tigers off the bench with 14 points, and Ashiala Jackson and Arielle McElroy had 11 apiece.
The 2022-23 regular season gets underway Tuesday, Nov. 8, as the Tigers host Sam Houston at Neville Arena. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Season and single-game tickets are available by visiting AUBTix.com, visiting the Auburn Ticket Office at Neville Arena, or by calling 855-282-2010.
Auburn pulls away late from Tuskegee in exhibition win
