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A spirit that is not afraid

Auburn falls in SEC Tourney

Auburn's Sherell Hobbs reaches for a loose ball.
Vanderbilt vs Auburn Women's SEC Basketball Tournament Championship Game on Sunday, March 8, 2009 in Little Rock, AR. 
Todd Van Emst
Auburn's Sherell Hobbs reaches for a loose ball. Vanderbilt vs Auburn Women's SEC Basketball Tournament Championship Game on Sunday, March 8, 2009 in Little Rock, AR. Todd Van Emst

The No. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores won their sixth SEC Tournament Championship and their second in two years with a 61-54 victory over No. 6 Auburn in the SEC Tournament finals Sunday.

DeWanna Bonner was held to single-digits for only the third time this season and Boddie led the Tigers with 14 points.

"They're really tough," Boddie said. "They're efficient with their offense, they pound you, pound you and you think you've got them stopped, and then at the end of the shot clock they make a three."

Auburn is now 29-3 overall. The Tigers began their run in the Southeastern Conference Tournament with a 71-65 win over Mississippi Friday.

Auburn had not advanced to the semifinals in the SEC Tournament since 1997, which is also the last year Auburn won an SEC Tournament title.

Mississippi is now 17-14 overall and 6-10 in the SEC.

Senior forward DeWanna Bonner took over the all-time record for career points at Auburn with 2,084 by scoring 32 against the Rebels. The previous record was 2,068, held by Becky Jackson.

"It's just a tremendous honor," Bonner said. "I'm excited, but I'm really not focusing on it. I'm just ready to play the next game -- and keep adding to those points."

Bonner also grabbed 13 rebounds, which moved her into second place on Auburn's all-time rebounding list with a career total of 1,019.

Ole Miss fought in the final minute to raise the score to 66-63, but senior guard Whitney Boddie sank a two-pointer to keep the Tigers in the lead.

"I was just trying to make a play," Boddie said. "They were kind of pressuring me and I was trying to make a play. It went in."

Auburn never trailed in the game, leading 35-29 at halftime. Boddie scored 15 points, had 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Auburn advanced in the tournament to play No. 19 Tennessee Saturday. The Tigers won 78-58.

Bonner scored a team-high 26 points, leading Auburn in scoring for the 19th time this season.

Boddie scored 19 points, the 19th time this season she has scored in double-figures.

Angie Bjorklund scored 17 points for the Lady Vols, who led by five at halftime.

"We went in at halftime feeling pretty good about what we had done," said Pat Summitt, Tennessee coach. "The wheels fell off in the second half."

Despite being out-rebounded (45-36), outscored in the paint (34-26), in second chance points (22-8) and in bench points (24-6), Auburn defeated Tennessee for the second time this season.

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"Tennessee is a measuring stick for everybody, and I think that we measured up pretty well this year against 'em," said Auburn head coach Nell Fortner.

"We're building our program at Auburn, and we feel good about the direction we're going."


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