PISCATAWAY, N.J. – A massive scoring run in the second quarter helped Auburn overcome a double-digit early deficit and earn a 76-56 win over Rutgers Sunday afternoon on the road.
The Tigers (3-0) trailed by as many as 13 late in the first quarter, but they would outscore Rutgers (2-1) by a 34-5 margin over the next 12-plus minutes to open up an insurmountable lead.
"This team is so connected, they have great chemistry," Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris said. "They're going to continue to get better and better. They trust us. We're able to make adjustments, they buy into it, and they put it into play."
Honesty Scott-Grayson, playing in front of nearly 50 friends and family in the return to her home state of New Jersey, scored 18 points along with three rebounds, a team-leading four assists and a steal.
"This team loves Honesty," Harris said. "They support her, they have her back. They knew she was coming to her hometown. You should have heard them over on the bench, they were loud, they were proud. They were proud of this entire team. Our bench energy was great tonight."
Freshman Savannah Scott continued a blistering start to her Auburn career with her first collegiate double-double, scoring 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting along with 11 rebounds.
Sydney Shaw added 10 points, and Mar'Shaun Bostic had nine along with three assists and a pair of steals. And Celia Sumbane wreaked havoc at the top of Auburn's 3-2 zone, grabbing three steals, a pair each of blocks and assists, and five points.
"For the second game in a row, I put the ball in Honesty's hands, and she found Scotty," Harris said. "Scotty was a beast today, that baby grew up today. Honesty put us on her back and she carried us. I thought Celia at the top of that zone was a big key for us, she controlled things for us up there."
A cold start saw the Tigers trailing 17-4 late in the first quarter. Three straight defensive stops helped Auburn to a 7-0 run to end the period and a 17-11 score.
The second quarter, however, was a masterpiece. After Rutgers made the first bucket of the period, Auburn outscored the Scarlet Knights 27-3 over the final nine minutes to turn an 8-point deficit into a 16-point halftime lead. In that period, the Tigers turned 10 Rutgers turnovers into 12 points, and a corner 3-pointer from Shaw to beat the halftime buzzer sent the Auburn bench into a frenzy as the Tigers led 38-22 at the break.
Auburn would extend their lead to as many as 23, scoring the first seven points of the second half. But Rutgers would not go quietly, finding their shooting stroke from outside to cut the deficit to as few as nine. Five straight points from Taylen Collins – who missed most of the first half with foul trouble – helped push the Auburn advantage back to 12 after three periods. Rutgers would get no closer the rest of the way.
The Tigers shot 47 percent as a team and made 20-of-31 attempts at the free-throw line. Auburn turned 24 Rutgers turnovers into 29 points and dominated the paint, outscoring the Scarlet Knights inside 46-20.
Kaylene Smikle led the Scarlet Knights with 19 points, and Chyna Cornwell finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Auburn will return to the friendly confines of Neville Arena Friday night, Nov. 17, for their second straight non-conference test against a Power Five opponent as the California Golden Bears visit the Plains. Game time is 7 p.m. CT, and tickets are available at AUBTix.com.
Big second-quarter run leads Auburn to 76-56 win at Rutgers
