When six players score in double digits for the first time since 2008, things are definitely going right in a season opener.
Auburn women's basketball shot Grambling State out of the gym Tuesday night, 97-48 in the first outing of 90-plus since the last time it played Grambling State in 2014.
Forward Unique Thompson and guard Janiah McKay, both preseason picks on the All-SEC second team, had double-doubles in this game.
Coach Flo made sure that the Tigers focused on scoring this game. The Tigers ranked 237th nationally in scoring offense last season, averaging 62.4 points a game.
"Well, kind of made a point of emphasis that we have to score and scoring can come in a variety of ways," said Auburn head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "Offensive rebounds, free throws, layups and we know in the offense, and there are so many other ways that you can score and offensive rebounding is one of them."
Auburn dominated on both sides of the ball with 53 total rebounds and 24 assists. McKay's 10 dimes moved up to No. 10 in the program's all-time assists column.
Coach Flo improves to 6-1 in season openers at Auburn following the win and the 97 points are the most ever for an Auburn team led by her.
Coach Flo liked what she saw from some of the newcomers to the team, especially Crystal Primm and Robyn Benton.
"Crystal sat out last year, so she's been waiting to get back on the floor, and she did a great job," Williams-Flournoy said. "And Robyn just got cleared from her ACL, and she's been excited to get back on the court. It was great to get those additions, we knew we had Janiah, we knew we had Unique, we knew we had Daisa but being able to add others as well was really good."
Emari Jones, the junior who is in her second season with the Tigers after transferring in her sophmore year, also got high praise from Coach Flo following her 13-point evening.
"I really think Emari will be the little silent one this year that arrives," Williams-Flournoy said. "Emari is going to be that scorer that we really didn't know too much about."
The Tigers (1-0) will look to continue the momentum this Friday against Nicholls State (0-1) in the first round of the preseason Women's NIT tournament. The game will be a part of a doubleheader with the women tipping off at 6 p.m. CST and the men afterward at 8:30 p.m. CST.
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