Basketball season is underway, and the Auburn Tigers are looking to make a statement. The Tigers will start game play this week in an exhibition game against LaGrange, and then move on to actual play on Nov. 4th against Southern Illinois.
The Tigers are under the coaching of Johnnie Harris for the past four seasons, where she has actively been improving the women's basketball program at Auburn. The Tigers are currently coming off of their best season yet with Harris. Last season was the first time since 2019 that Auburn advanced to the NCAA tournament. The team is hoping to carry last season’s momentum into the 2024-25 season.
The Tigers are going into this season with the loss of some key players, Honesty Scott-Grayson and JaMya Mingo-Young. However, in the off-season Auburn brought in a pair of transfers that could fill the physical void left by these two. On the other hand, graduate student Taylin Collins is prepared to step into the open leadership role.
New additions Taliah Scott from Arkansas and DeYona Gatson from Texas have both been seen with powerful roles last season. Scott was scoring double digits in almost every game for Arkansas, while Gatson was a part of the All-Big 12 First Team.
The Tigers will debut their new roster on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. CST against LaGrange in an exhibition game.
LaGrange will also be introducing new additions to their team, as Destiny Lane-Frazier enters her first year as head coach for the team. LaGrange is coming off of a winning season with an 18-7 record, with five players named to the CCS All-Conference teams.
Four of these five will be returning for the 2024-25 season. Shooting guard Zyhia Johnson and Amanda Mclendon are key players for LaGrange. Last season both players were averaging in the double digits, and scoring nearly 50% of their shots. Senior Johnson has been known for her ability to make a three-pointer, while her teammate Mclendon is outstanding on defense.
The Tigers will have to keep an eye on the court at all times in order to stop these two powerhouses. With a strong defensive opponent, Auburn will have to maximize on offense and find the ability to score without Scott-Grayson.
After this exhibition, the Tigers will open the regular season against Southern Illinois on Monday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. CST.
The Southern Illinois Saluki are led by another young coach Kelly Bond-White, who is just in her second year at the university. The Saluki finished last season with an 11-20 record, going 6-14 in their conference. This season they are projected to finish 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Auburn should use this game as a way to build momentum for the rest of the season. This will be a good way for Auburn to formulate a connection, and debut what they have to offer this season.
Overall, Auburn’s momentum should make for a strong start to the new season. This could be the best one yet for Harris and the Tigers.
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Madelyn Marsh is a freshman from Castroville, Texas, who is majoring in journalism. She joined The Plainsman in fall 2023.
