With SEC play set to start in the new year, the Tigers – injured at multiple spots from non-conference play – fell to Norfolk State 63-57 snapping a four game win streak for Auburn and marking the first ever loss to a current team from MEAC in program history.
“So just really disappointed,” head coach Johnnie Harris said following the Tigers’ first loss during the month of December since 2022. “I thought we had a pretty decent crowd for school being out. So I do thank those fans for coming out, but we've got to play better. So, we'll get back and watch film, correct some things to go into SEC play.”
After taking the lead at the 6:07 mark in the first quarter, Norfolk State never trailed again, despite Auburn’s efforts at a comeback – cutting a 17 point fourth quarter deficit to three before ultimately losing to the Spartans.
The Tigers put 22 points on the scoreboard in the final quarter of play, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 7-of-9 from the charity stripe as a team. After taking the 17 point lead with 6:57 remaining, Norfolk State missed eight straight shots before making four of its last six to seal the deal.
“I thought we attacked them. I thought we tried to attack, get the ball inside. I thought DeYona went to work,” Harris said. “I thought we had a couple other players that kind of stepped up. Audia made a big shot. I thought Syriah started attacking and getting fouled. So I thought getting to the free throw line, getting some wide open looks was the difference in the fourth quarter.”
It was a poor shooting performance for Auburn on Sunday afternoon, making just 37% from the field – the second-lowest of the season – and a single make from beyond the arc – marking the second time this season the Tigers have made just one shot from deep.
With league play looming, it was a season-low 57 points scored for Auburn on just 18 made shots from the field with nine in each half. Of the Tigers’ four guards that played against the Spartans, just one – Mar’shaun Bostic – scored more than three points and made a shot from the field.
“We had six turnovers. I thought our point guard play was not the best tonight,” Harris said.
DeYona Gaston – the reigning SEC player of the week – put together a 29 point performance, scoring 20-or-more in five of the last six contests. The fifth year senior shot 10-of-22 from the field and knocked down 9-of-14 from the charity stripe against the Spartans.
“She was a little hampered, a little bit you, you can tell,” Harris said of Gaston. “But I thought she just wanted to stay out there and play. And she gave me everything she had.”
Gaston’s Sunday afternoon performance marked her fifth double-double of the season and eighth with 15-or-more points.
“She goes to work, you know, she works at it, she's always in the gym. She's always watching film,” Harris said of Gaston. “She put herself in a position to be successful, and I just got to get somebody to come to help her.”
Of the other seven Tigers to see the floor, only Bostic scored more than seven points and made more than two shots. Bostic, the 5-foot-8 senior, finished the game with 11 points, shooting 4-for-7, with eight assists.
“I guess the story of the game is their offensive rebounds,” Harris said. “They had 17 in the second half, so we have to do a better job. But I felt like we got stops, but then they got second opportunities. 36 points in the paint, but a lot of them came from their second chance opportunities.”
The Spartans scored more than half of their points, 36 of 63, from inside the paint along with out-rebounding Auburn by nine – including 21 offensive rebounds. Norfolk State was also able to turn 16 Tiger turnovers into 14 points, ultimately shooting 41% from the field.
Two Spartans, Diamond Johnson and Da’Brya Clark, recorded double-figure performances, scoring 17 and 15 points, respectively.
“Hopefully we can get a couple of players back, but if not, we'll have to go watch film. You know, just try to put them in a position to be better,” Harris said. “I've got to do a better job of coaching and teaching these point guards, because I thought our point guard play was not very good today.”
The Tigers will tip off conference play inside the friendly confines of Neville Arena against No. 25 Ole Miss on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. CST with a shot to win their SEC opener for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
