AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn started fast and never trailed, capitalizing on four 3-pointers and a career-high 16 points from freshman Yuting Deng to defeat Florida 74-51 Sunday at Neville Arena.
“She opened things up. Her presence on the floor, people have to respect her,” Auburn coach Johnnie Harris said. “She’s a player with high IQ. She studies the game and the scouting report. She’s a competitor. She wants to help this team win.”
Deyona Gaston led Auburn with 18 points. Celia Sumbane added 12. Mar’Shaun Bostic had a career-high 11 assists, scored nine points and was a staggering plus-35 in more than 32 minutes of playing time.
“This started in practice a couple days ago,” Bostic said. “My teammates and coaches encouraged me. When something good happens to me, it boosts my confidence so I want to carry that for the next game.”
“I thought she did a great job of running the plays,” Harris said of Bostic. “She made the right plays, but it starts on the defensive end.”
Taylen Collins led Auburn with 12 rebounds while adding eight points.
The Tigers scored the game’s first 10 points, shutting out the Gators for nearly seven and a half minutes while forcing nine early turnovers and six missed shots.
“We set the tone with our defense,” Harris said. “We were in the passing lanes. Coming back from Starkville, we got after it. They took that and ran with it. Our last couple practices have been amazing.”
“We need to do this more consistently,” Gaston said. “When we started that 10-0 run, it felt like we were a team, like we were all sisters on the court.”
Playing in her third Auburn game after enrolling this semester, Deng came off the bench and immediately made her presence felt, hitting a long jumper and a step-back 3-pointer to help Auburn lead 17-10 after the first quarter.
Auburn extended its advantage in the second quarter thanks to 3-pointers from Syriah Daniels and Celia Sumbane, plus an old-fashioned 3-point play from Sumbane.
The Tigers scored 15 consecutive points, capping the run on Bostic’s and-one layup to lead by 22 late in the half.
“I saw a comfort level in our team and some ease in them,” Harris said.
Leading by 20 at the half, Auburn watched Florida get within 13 before Gaston scored on back-to-back possessions to regain momentum for the home team.
Deng hit a 3-pointer and Collins made a jumper in the lane to put the Tigers ahead by 21 before Florida scored the final four points of the third quarter.
Deng dispelled any notion of a Gators comeback by opening the fourth quarter with a pair of 3-pointers during an 8-0 Auburn run that put the Tigers on top by 25.
“She’s a player,” Gaston said of the newcomer from China. “You can see her progressively get better and better each day. Her impact has been really good. It really opens up the floor.”
Auburn (11-10, 2-6) has an open date Thursday before opening February with a trip to No. 2 South Carolina next Sunday at 11 a.m. CT at Colonial Life Arena on SEC Network.
“This is going to be a grind,” Harris said. “We have to embrace that grind, and I felt like they embraced it. My thing is figuring out how to keep them there every day.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer