AUBURN, Ala. - Taliah Scott dropped 26 points in her debut in an Auburn uniform, leading the Tigers (3-0) to an 82-48 victory over the Little Rock Trojans (1-2), and Auburn Women’s Basketball secured its 1000th program victory.
Taliah Scott, who was sidelined with an injury through the first two games, made her presence known from the opening tip. The sophomore transfer from Arkansas, and a former five-star recruit, scored nine of the Tiger's first 12 points.
In the second quarter, Scott didn't get as many looks, and the offense went a little quiet. Auburn headed into halftime only up by six, 31-25.
Coach Johnnie Harris’s message to her team in the locker room was simple. “I challenged pretty much all of them just to be better.” Coach Harris’s squad would do just that, and the Tigers came out in the third quarter with an intensity and energy that lasted until the final buzzer.
The Tigers forced four straight turnovers to begin the third period and would score off all four of them, kickstarting a 16-0 run that put a once competitive game to rest. Those four opening turnovers from Little Rock were a part of the 24 total turnovers forced by the Tigers, a staple of Coach Harris’s style of play. “That’s our identity. That’s what we do and we take pride in that”, Coach Harris said when asked about the intensity on the defensive end in the second half.
The massive run in the third quarter also saw Taliah Scott hit three more from beyond the arc, and she ended the night by tying the Auburn women’s record for three-pointers in a game, with eight in total. This feat hadn't been accomplished since Tiffany Krantz in 1998.
“I had teammates finding me… most of my shots were from catch and shoot so that's credit to my teammates for getting me in positions where I’ll be successful,” said Scott when asked about her impressive debut. “I’ve been in the gym for the past two, three weeks… and so being consistent and knowing that when it’s my time, I'm going to make these shots.”
Scott averaged nearly 23 points per game in her freshman season at Arkansas but shot under 30% from deep. This nearly unconscious shooting performance will be difficult to maintain, but it bodes well for the potential of this Tiger team.
Texas transfer DeYona Gaston had an equally impressive night, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Gaston, who was the fire starter for the Tigers in their first two games, brought a level of intensity to the glass that contributed to Auburn's plus-nine rebound advantage.
The Tigers won't return to Neville Arena until Dec. 8, as their nearly month-long stretch of road games kicks off with them traveling to Eugene to take on the No. 25 Oregon Ducks. How does Auburn look to upset the Ducks? “Defensive principles,” said Taliah Scott. “Scoring is not just going to beat them because they can score too.”
The Tigers will tip off in Matthew Knight Arena next Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 8:00 p.m.. You can catch the game streaming on the ESPN app or listen in on the Auburn Sports Network.
