Taliah Scott’s game-high 28-point performance kept Auburn’s hopes alive, but despite an impressive fourth-quarter comeback, the Tigers were unable to complete their rally, falling to No. 23 Oregon 70-68 Wednesday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
Scott, who has quickly established herself as a scoring machine in her first few games with Auburn, stacked up 14 points in the final quarter alone, allowing Auburn’s defense to stay strong and cut the final deficit to one possession.
However, the Tigers’ comeback fell just short as turnovers, foul trouble and crucial missed opportunities in the paint proved too costly in the end.
“We got ourselves into foul trouble early, which hurt our rotation,” said Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris. “We had Taylen (Collins) and Celia (Sumbane) on the bench in the first half, and then in the third quarter, we had to sit DeYona (Gaston). Taliah put us on her back — she was phenomenal tonight. I challenged her to be more aggressive defensively at halftime, and she really responded. She gave us a chance to win.”
Despite a rough start that included turnovers and foul trouble, Auburn's defense came alive in the second half, with Scott leading the charge. However, the Tigers could not overcome their earlier mistakes and dropped their first game of the season.
Auburn finished shooting 40.7% from the field and hit 8-of-17 3-pointers (47.1%). Scott’s sharpshooting was the highlight of the evening, as she knocked down seven 3-pointers to finish with a game-high 28 points. She also contributed four rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block in an all-around effort that nearly willed her team to a comeback.
“Taliah has been playing really well for us, and she was really locked in tonight,” Harris said. “She’s been hitting those shots consistently, and I’m proud of the way she’s stepping up in big moments.”
In addition to Scott’s performance, sophomore forward DeYona Gaston added 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks, but foul trouble limited her to just 24 minutes of action. The Tigers struggled to find consistency without her presence in the middle, especially in the third quarter when Oregon pushed to strengthen its lead.
"Playing that entire third quarter without DeYona really hurt us,” Harris said. “But credit to Audia (Young) and Timya (Thurman) for coming off the bench and giving us a boost. They really stepped up when we needed it."
The Ducks, led by the dominant inside play of 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei (14 points, 11 rebounds), showed their skill in the paint, outrebounding Auburn 42-32. Oregon shot a solid 47.5% from the floor and scored 40 of their 70 points in the paint, where the Ducks proved to be a physical presence the Tigers struggled to contain.
Auburn’s 20 turnovers were a critical factor in the game. The Ducks capitalized on the mistakes, turning those 20 turnovers into 19 points. Meanwhile, the Tigers had to fight through their own miscues and the high number of fouls that disrupted their rhythm, particularly in the first half. Oregon outrebounded Auburn by 10, which allowed it to control the tempo of the game and limit Auburn's opportunities.
Auburn held a slim 12-9 lead in the first quarter. The Ducks, however, came out hot in the second quarter, starting with a 6-0 run and shooting an impressive 73% from the field in the quarter. Auburn briefly regained the lead, but Oregon responded, pushing its advantage to 10 points before Scott hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull Auburn within four at 29-25. The Ducks went into halftime leading 33-27.
Mar’Shaun Bostic and Kaitlyn Duhon made key contributions for the Tigers in the first half. Bostic scored seven points and added five assists, while Duhon also chipped in seven points, helping keep Auburn within striking distance. Collins and Gaston shared the team lead in rebounds, each grabbing six in the opening two quarters.
Trailing by 12 late in the third quarter, the Tigers mounted a rally, with baskets from Duhon, Bostic and Scott cutting the deficit to 50-44 heading into the final period. Scott’s 3-pointer on Auburn’s first possession of the fourth quarter further trimmed the lead to just three, giving the Tigers renewed hope.
However, Oregon quickly regained control with an 8-0 run that extended their lead back to double digits. With less than three minutes to play, the Ducks’ lead was still eight points, but Auburn did not give up. Gaston grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a quick second-chance bucket, followed by a defensive stop.
The Tigers continued to trade baskets and fouls in the closing moments, and with just one second remaining, Scott knocked down another 3-pointer to make it a two-point game. However, time ran out before Auburn could complete its comeback.
“We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for,” said Harris. “We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we fought until the final buzzer, and I’m proud of the way we battled back.”
Auburn aims to bounce back and finish strong on the road as the Tigers face off in a Friday night contest at California on Nov. 22. Game time is 8 p.m. CSR at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley and will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
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Grace is a Sophomore majoring in Speech Language Hearing Sciences. She joined the Plainsman in the spring of 2024.
