AUBURN, Ala. — In a game with double-digit ties and lead changes, the Auburn women’s basketball team surged ahead in the final moments for a 67-59 victory over Georgia on Sunday.
Shacobia Barbee recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead Georgia (18-9, 6-8 Southeastern Conference). Krista Donald chipped in 15 points and Erika Ford added 13.
Tyrese Tanner and Brandy Montgomery both scored 21 points for Auburn (15-12, 6-8 SEC). Tanner, Auburn’s leading scorer, played only three minutes and scored only two points in the first half after picking up two fouls.
“Credit Auburn,” Georgia coach Andy Landers said. “They played without their best player for almost the entire first half. When she came back in the second half, we didn’t have anyone who could guard her. Auburn played well. Georgia didn’t play the way we wanted to play. It was a very, very poor result.”
The Tigers scored 34 points off of a season-high 24 turnovers by Georgia and converted on 24 of 31 attempts at the line.
A back-and-forth first half featured five ties and five lead changes.
The second stanza featured much of the same, with five more ties and five more lead changes.
Georgia enjoyed its largest lead at 44-39 with 9:54 left, but Auburn answered with a 10-0 run over the next 2:07 to flip the margin to 49-44.
The Bulldogs last led 50-49 following a Donald layup with 5:55 left. Auburn’s Peyton Davis answered on Auburn’s next possession and the Tigers outscored Georgia 18-9 the rest of the way.
GEORGIA (18-9, 6-8 SEC)
Barbee 9-17 1-4 19; Donald 6-8 3-4 15; Ford 6-19 0-1 13; Hempe 2-6 2-3 6; Miller 1-7 2-2 4; Griffin 1-2 0-0 2; Butler 0-0 0-0 0; Washington 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-61
8-14 59.
AUBURN (15-12, 6-8 SEC)
Montgomery 7-19 4-7 21; Tanner, Tyrese 5-11 11-12 21; Tanner, Tra’Cee 3-6 5-6 11; Parker 1-3 3-4 5; Davis 1-3 1-2 3; Muhammad 1-6 0-0 2; Tucker 1-3 0-0 2; Frerking 1-5 0-0 2; Dieng 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 20-59 24-31 67.
Halftime—UGA 29-28. 3-point goals—UGA 1-14 (Ford 1-6; Miller 0-3; Barbee 0-5); Auburn 3-18 (Montgomery 3-10; Parker 0-1; Tucker 0-1; Frerking 0-4; Dieng 0-2). Fouled
out—None. Rebounds—UGA 43 (Barbee 13), Auburn 34 (Davis 7). Assists—UGA 10 (Miller 4), Auburn 12 (Parker, Tucker 4). Total fouls—UGA 24, Auburn 20. Technical fouls—None. A—2,694.