AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn Tigers didn't have AC but they sure had plenty of heat from Honesty Scott-Grayson.
Playing without leading scorer and rebounder Aicha Coulibaly, Scott-Grayson scored a career-high 31 points to lead Auburn to a 79-63 victory over North Carolina A&T Thursday at Neville Arena.
Scott-Grayson needed only three quarters to equal her previous career best of 30 points set vs. Missouri on Feb. 7, 2021. She added a free throw in the final quarter to finish with 31 points, five steals, five rebounds and three assists.
"I was poised," Scott-Grayson said. "I let the game come to me. My teammates put me in good positions to get those buckets so I give credit to them."
Auburn (8-2) earned its fifth straight victory, improving to 7-1 at home.
Kharyssa Richardson returned after missing three games when she hit the floor hard in Auburn's victory over Colorado State Nov. 26 in Las Vegas, scoring eight points and grabbing a team-leading six rebounds in 23 minutes.
Scott-Grayson scored 11 in the first quarter to help the Tigers build a 19-10 lead after the first 10 minutes.
"We came out and set the tone early," Auburn coach Johnnie Harris said. "I'm really happy with the win, not really happy with how we played."
The redshirt senior scored 16 of Auburn's 33 first-half points, helping the Tigers take an 11-point halftime lead.
The Tigers came out on fire in the second half, scoring 11 unanswered points including 3-pointers from Scott-Grayson and Sydney Shaw to extend Auburn's advantage to 41-22.
"Honesty is very unselfish," Harris said. "This is something she could do every day. She stays in the gym. It pays off for her. She is very impactful on this team. She does a lot of different things that help us win."
Auburn began the half on a 19-2 run in the first 3 minutes and 12 seconds. Romi Levy's corner 3-pointer gave the Tigers their largest lead at 55-26.
"We were moving the ball," Harris said. "We were getting our shooters good shots in good spots. We were putting the ball in the pocket."
The Tigers scored 32 points in the period but the visiting Aggies answered, trimming the deficit by 18 points and pulling within 11 early in the fourth quarter before Auburn reclaimed momentum to win by 16 points.
Shaw scored 14 points and distributed five assists while tallying a team-best plus-27. Levy added 13 points and four rebounds.
"I was happy with the shot selection I took," Shaw said. "I was able to see the hot hand and put my teammates in good position to score and having a game where I'm not forcing anything, just taking what the game gives me."
Coulibaly and fellow starter Jakayla Johnson both sat out after sustaining injuries during practice this week that could keep them out of action for a few days, Harris said.
Auburn forced 27 turnovers while committing 14 to take a 29-14 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Tigers continue their six-game homestand Sunday at noon CT vs. Samford on SEC Network and the Auburn Sports Network.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
Scott-Grayson's career night keys Auburn's 5th straight win
