The Auburn Tigers women's basketball team hosted the Missouri Tigers on Sunday, and in the end, they got their first win in SEC play this year. The Tiger Throwdown ended in a 75-60 final score in favor of the orange and blue.
The Tigers opened up the game strong in the first quarter thanks to starters Taylen Collins and Syriah Daniels, as well as Celia Sumbane. The tiger trio combined for 15 of the 18 points in the first 10 minutes. The team as a whole played great defense and held Missouri to only 11 points, shooting a poor 33 percent as a whole. What makes this more impressive is that the Lady Tigers did this while committing zero fouls.
The second quarter was more of the same for both teams. Taylen Collins led both teams in scoring in the second quarter, and the Tigers boosted their shooting percentage up to 50 percent. Both teams struggled from three, but free throw shooting is what set Auburn apart. The Tigers knocked down five of six (83%) of their free throws. The Tigers' dominant performance would have them sitting comfortably with a 13-point lead to end the half.
The third quarter is where the Lady Tigers found more competition from Missouri. Auburn was outscored and had fewer assists than Missouri, and both teams were close in rebounding, with Missouri having a slight edge. The Tigers shot a game-worst 20 percent, but made it up at the free-throw line by making all eight of their shots.
The fourth quarter was more of an offensive showcase from both teams, with both Tigers scoring 20+ in the final quarter. The Tigers bounced back from a poor shooting display in the third and brought their percentage back up, hitting 50 percent in the last 10 minutes. With their brilliant scoring and playmaking, the Tigers won the game 75-60.
Sunday's win was the first in SEC play and snapped their six-game losing streak, improving them to 10-9 on the season. Their next SEC standoff will be against Mississippi State in Humphrey Coliseum.
