AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn fans can get their first look at the 2024-25 Auburn women’s basketball team Thursday night when the Tigers host LaGrange College for an exhibition game at Neville Arena.
Game time is 6 p.m. CT, and admission is free. All seating in the arena will be general admission.
Following the game, Auburn’s players and coaches will participate in a “trick-or-treat” in front of the home bench, passing out candy to fans in attendance.
Season tickets are still available for the 2024-25 season beginning at $50 per ticket. Single-game tickets are also now on sale, including new baseline floor seats for each home game. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit AUBTix.com or call 855-282-2010.
ON THE AIR
›› Brit Bowen and Larry DiChiara will have the radio call on ESPN 106.7 FM beginning at 5:45 p.m. CT. The broadcast can also be heard on AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics app.
›› There will be no live video stream available.
AN AUBURN WIN WOULD...
›› Improve the Tigers to 25-9 all-time in exhibition games.
AUBURN-LAGRANGE SERIES
›› Despite being separated by just a little less than 50 miles, this is the first meeting between Auburn and LaGrange in women’s basketball.
SCOUTING LAGRANGE
›› LaGrange finished 18-7 overall last year with a 12-4 record in Collegiate Conference of the South.
›› Last season, the Panthers averaged 75.4 points per game while holding opponents to 64.5.
›› Zyhia Johnson, a first-team All-CCS selection, leads the Panthers’ returners as she averaged 16.7 points/game last year, shooting 45% from the floor and 35% from 3-point range.
›› Destiny Lane-Frazier is in her first season as the Panthers’ head coach. The Jacksonville State graduate has previous coaching stops at Spain Park HS, Sylacauga HS and Berry College.
SCOUTING AUBURN
›› Auburn returns two starters and nine letterwinners from the 2023-24 team that finished 20-12 overall, 8-8 in SEC play and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 2019.
›› Graduate student Taylen Collins is the Tigers’ leading returning scorer (7.9 ppg) and rebounder (6.3 rpg). She held or shared the team lead in rebounds in 16 games last year and led the team with three double-doubles. Her best game of the season came in a win over Kentucky when she scored a season-high 19 points along with 11 rebounds.
›› Collins enters her final season of collegiate eligibility with 1,005 career points; she scored her 1,000th career point in the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament game vs. Arizona on March 23.
›› Senior Mar’Shaun Bostic looks to be the team’s starting point guard on opening night. Last season, she averaged 5.9 points and leads the Tigers’ returners with 81 assists (2.6/game). One of the fastest players and top defenders in the SEC, she led the Tigers with 1.6 steals per game in 2023-24.
›› Junior Kaitlyn Duhon played in 31 of 32 games last season and looks to see significant minutes for the Tigers this year. Another elite defender, Duhon averaged 1.2 steals per game while scoring 5.4 points/game. Senior Celia Sumbane will also see plenty of playing time at the 2/3 - she averaged 3.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 15.6 minutes/game last year.
›› Junior Oyindamola Akinbolawa (6-5) and sophomore Yakiya Milton (6-4) will be in the mix for playing time in the post. Akinbolawa was steadily improving last season and made a big impact in the historic win over LSU but missed the second half of SEC play with a thumb injury. Milton saw her minutes increase as the season went on, earning a pair of starts late in the year and finishing on a high note with a season-best 8 points and 3 blocks in the NCAA Tournament game vs. Arizona.
›› Sophomore Taliah Scott, a transfer from Arkansas, averaged 22.1 points to lead the Razorbacks last season and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
›› Graduate student DeYona Gaston was the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year at Texas last season; she averaged 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds off the bench and recorded two double-doubles.
›› True freshmen Jordan Hunter and Syriah Daniels - two of the top high school players in Alabama a year ago - will see their first collegiate action this week.
AUBURN IN EXHIBITIONS
›› This is the fourth straight season for Auburn to play at least one exhibition game. Last year, the Tigers picked up home wins over West Georgia and Columbus State in exhibition contests.
UP NEXT
›› Auburn opens the 2024-25 regular season Monday, Nov. 4, when the Tigers host Southern Illinois. Game time is 6 p.m. CT at Neville Arena for Tipoff on the Plains.