Auburn women set to open season of high expectations

The No. 21 Tigers, led by preseason Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Dewanna Bonner, are set to unveil a new, fast-paced attack.

“It’s exciting for this bunch of kids to be preseason ranked,” fifth-year coach Nell Fortner said. “It motivates us every day to be the best team we can be and see what we can accomplish this year.”

Friday night’s game will be a homecoming of sorts for four Auburn players. Sherell and Reneisha Hobbs played at Johnson High School in Huntsville. Alli Smalley played at Arab High School, 20 miles south of Huntsville. Whitney Boddie played at Florence High School, 60 miles to the west.

The Tigers finished 20-12 last season, losing to George Washington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They did it without Boddie, their mercurial point guard who was ineligible in the second semester. She’s back, and the Tigers are running and gunning.

“It’s been great to have Whitney back,” Fortner said. “She is a true point guard. She really does so much for this team. Whitney is one of those guards that really makes everybody around her better, and she’s a very dangerous offensive player herself. She’s extremely hard to guard.”

Three seniors – Bonner (18.4 points, 10 rebounds), Sherell Hobbs (13.1, 5.7) and Trevesha Jackson (6.2, 4.2) will be in Auburn’s starting lineup. Boddie, also a senior, will play off the bench. Smalley (10.8, 2.9), a sophomore shooting guard, and freshman point guard Morgan Jennings will also be in the lineup.

The Tigers crushed Anderson (S.C.) 103-37 in an exhibition game last Sunday.

Fortner said she expects a stiff challenge from Alabama A&M.

"I know Alabama A&M is a strong SWAC team,” Fortner said. “They are fast, play extremely hard and they have a nice program. It should be a very good game. I want to go out and start establishing ourselves on the floor immediately, whether we at home or away, and play the style of basketball we want to play this year."