ATHENS, Ga. (WEGL) – Auburn women’s basketball faced Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens in the penultimate game of the season for the Tigers. It came down to the wire, but the Lady Bulldogs were better down the stretch, grabbing the win and handing Auburn their fifth straight loss, 62-59.
The Tigers allowed a 5-0 run from Georgia to begin scoring but quickly rebounded as Deyona Gaston went on a personal four-point run before freshman Yuting Deng knocked home a three ball to give them a 7-5 lead. The two teams went back and forth, but Gaston had another bucket in the paint, and Deng banged in another from behind the arc. These two combined for 12 of the Tigers' 15 points in the first quarter in what was a precursor to the closeness of the game that was to come. Auburn led into the first break, 15-11.
The second period can only be named one thing for the Tigers offensively: the Deyona Gaston quarter. Gaston was incredible inside, scoring 11 of the 14 Auburn points. She showed exactly why she is feared as a physical paint scorer, scoring five of six from the field inside for the frame and fighting through contact for an and-one as well. The only other points came from Celia Sumbane, who hit a triple. The Tigers were turnover-prone in the quarter, limiting their other offense outside of Gaston, and couldn’t pull away from the struggling Lady Bulldogs. Auburn went to half with a five-point advantage, 29-23.
Both teams were neck and neck in the third frame, scoring 16 points on each side. Every time either team asked a question and started to make a run, the other had an answer and made a shot to limit the damage. Yuting Deng led the Tigers in the quarter, scoring seven points and splashing home both of her trifectas. Mia Woolfook was the one who held it down for UGA, scoring six and making all three of her attempts. This efficiency was paramount for both sides in the third, with Auburn shooting 50 percent from the field and Georgia knocking home 58 percent. This led to some offensively charged basketball with neither side willing to give an edge.
Georgia made their money in the final quarter of play. Down five going into the frame, the Lady Bulldogs needed to make a push and didn’t do a great job early in the period. Auburn went on a 4-0 run off of free throws and extended the lead to nine. Georgia responded in kind, and both teams traded baskets. The gap got closer and closer until UGA guard Asia Avinger knocked home a jumper to tie the game at 56. Georgia took the lead on the next possession and, after a couple stops, extended the lead to 60-56 in the next two. Yuting Deng brought the Tigers within one with four seconds to play, hitting another triple, but after a couple of free throws, Auburn walked away with the loss, 62-59.
Deyona Gaston led the Tigers with 26 points and 6 rebounds on 11-14 from the field. Yuting Deng complimented Gaston’s scoring with 16 of her own and four hits from beyond the arc, while Celia Sumbane added 8 points. Georgia was led by Mia Woolfolk, who had 17. Two other Lady Bulldogs were in double figures as well, with Roxane Makolo scoring 13 and De’Mauri Flournoy adding 12.
Auburn women’s basketball drops to 12-16 but finishes up the SEC regular season on Sunday as they host another Bulldogs team in Mississippi State. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. inside Neville Arena and can be streamed on SEC Network+.
