Auburn women’s basketball will look to win its third straight game to open the season Monday night against UNC Greensboro.
Auburn opened the season with back-to-back wins against Charlotte and Alabama State, marking an impressive start to head coach Larry Vickers’ tenure.
Two players who stand out for the Tigers heading into this game are Ja’Mia Harris and Hari Coulibaly. Both scored 19 points against Charlotte and were the two go-to options offensively who could operate on the perimeter. Both players were able to drive to the basket and draw fouls to score points at the free-throw line in Monday night’s matchup.
Something that Vickers talked about going into the season is being able to build chemistry throughout the year with a whole new roster. A lot of that comes from multiple minutes built with a core group of players. Harris was the one player from the last game who played the entirety of the contest, meaning she was on the court with every one of her teammates who played, helping build the chemistry needed to win games.
If there’s one way Auburn wants to dominate the game, it will be in the paint on both ends of the floor and in all facets of play.
“We want to win in the paint,” Vickers said in press conference at beginning of season. “Regardless if that’s rebounding, points in the paint, limiting their points in the paint. That paint, that blue is going to be the most important thing for us as we lead into the year.”
The Tigers hope to build on their performance in the paint from their game in Charlotte, where they tallied 28 points inside and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points.
When it comes to the opposing team, the Spartans made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in more than 50 years. This year’s roster returns plenty of veteran leadership, with five players back from last year’s tournament squad. Graduate student Jeni Levine leads the team through two games with an average of 28 points per game. She will be the Tigers’ main priority to stop from finding any rhythm on the offensive end.
Forcing turnovers and getting out in transition is one way the Tigers can build an early lead against a team that isn’t as talented or physically imposing as they are. Coach Vickers’ team did just that against Charlotte, forcing 27 turnovers and turning them into 27 fast-break points.
Finally, ball movement will be key to establishing the offensive chemistry that Vickers wants from his team early this season. That wasn’t evident in the season opener, when the Tigers finished with only eight assists.
Auburn faces UNC Greensboro at Neville Arena at 6:00 p.m. CST on Monday. The game will be streamed on SECN+.
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