Auburn’s high-octane women’s basketball team was running and gunning in the first half at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum on Monday night. But it wasn’t doing a lot of hitting.
That changed quickly in the second half. And Temple had no answer.
Sophomore Alli Smalley quickly scored in close and hit a 3-pointer. Senior Sherell Hobbs hit a long 3-pointer, was fouled and converted a 4-point play. Smalley hit another 3-pointer. Before three minutes had elapsed, a 37-34 halftime lead had turned into a 49-35 lead.
The Tigers never led by fewer than seven points again en route to a 95-76 romp in their home opener.
“To score 95 points and shoot the ball as poorly as we shot it is amazing to me,” Auburn coach Nell Fortner said. “I’m pleased that we can find ways to score, win ballgames and score that many points.
“The potential of what we can do is very encouraging. I thought we beat a very good Temple team. I thought we wore them out. That’s something we are trying to do in this offense, keep the pressure on and push the basketball.”
And push it the Tigers did.
They took 78 shots to Temple’s 58. And when they needed the ball they took it, forcing 29 turnovers. And when the shots started falling, the outcome was inevitable.
After making just 14-of-44 for 31.8 percent and one 3-pointer in eight tries in the first half, the Tigers hit 18-of-34 for 52.9 percent in the second half. They were 7-of-9 from 3-point range.
All-American DeWanna Bonner scored 29 points, got nine rebounds, dished four assists and had five steals. But it was Smalley and Hobbs who ignited the second-half rally. Small finished with 18 points, 16 in the second half. After going 0-for-4 from 3-point range in the first half, she was 4-for-6 in the second half. Hobbs finished with 20 points. Cat-quick point guard Whitney Boddie had 11 points, seven assists and three steals.
Hobbs said it was Smalley’s shooting that got the Tigers going.
“I had no doubt they were going in,” Hobbs said. “When Alli shot the ball, I started running back on defense because I knew they were going in.”
The Tigers, who won 91-53 in their opener at Alabama A&M, moved to 2-0 on the season. First-year Temple coach Tonya Cordoza was impressed.
“I know their last game they had 91 points,” Cordoza said. “I see why. They have a lot of great offensive players. With that fast tempo, they are going to score a lot of points and get a lot of easy baskets.”
Temple, in foul trouble, tried to hang in the game with a zone defense. It didn’t work.
“They only scored 37 points in the first half against our zone,” Cordoza said. “They weren’t hitting any outside shots. They started the second half by hitting a couple of threes, and I think they gained a lot of confidence. It seemed like every shot they threw up after that went in.”
Shaqwedia Wallace led Temple with 21 points. Shanea Cotton, the Owls’ 6-foot-4 All-America candidate center, scored 17 points and got six rebounds. But she managed just four points and one rebound in the second half.
Auburn travels to Georgia Southern on Wednesday and returns home for a Sunday showdown with Ohio State.
