Auburn University’s women’s basketball team will return to Neville Arena on Thursday night for the Plains Classic Holiday Game against Alcorn State. The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Fans attending the event are encouraged to participate in the annual Teddy Bear Toss by bringing a stuffed animal. During halftime, attendees can throw their teddy bears onto the court, where they will be collected and distributed to local children. Additionally, Auburn will hand out books donated by fans and community members to children on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Tigers enter the matchup with a 9-3 record after securing a 68-52 victory over Middle Tennessee on Tuesday night. Auburn ended a three-game losing streak with that win and completed a stretch of games played across three states in five days. Alcorn State holds a 3-6 record this season.
Tickets for Thursday’s game can be purchased through the Auburn Athletics app or at AUBTix.com. Members of Aubie’s Kids’ Club receive free admission to all home women’s basketball games.
Broadcast coverage will include radio commentary from Brit Bowen and Larry DiChiara on ESPN 106.7 FM starting at 5:45 p.m. Central Time. The broadcast is also available via AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics app. For television viewers, Graham Doty and hall-of-fame coach Joe Ciampi will call the action on SEC Network+, accessible through WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app for subscribers.
In Tuesday’s win over Middle Tennessee, Syriah Daniels matched her career-high with 14 points while making her first start of the season, contributing six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocked shots. Harissoum Coulibaly led Auburn with 16 points and also made her first start for the team.
Auburn head coach Johnnie Harris commented earlier this season about player development: “We’re seeing growth from everyone in our rotation.”
If Auburn secures another win Thursday night, it would mark their tenth non-conference victory for the third time in four seasons, improve their home record to 6-1 this year, and bring their all-time record against current SWAC teams to 55-3.
This meeting marks only the second time Auburn has faced Alcorn State in women’s basketball; Auburn won their previous encounter in overtime during November 1993.
Alcorn State has not yet won against Division I competition this season but has played two other SEC teams so far—Alabama and Mississippi State—without success. Nakia Cheatham leads Alcorn State with averages of 12.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Several players have contributed significantly for Auburn this season:
– True freshman Harissoum Coulibaly leads scoring off the bench with an average of 10.8 points per game.
– Redshirt junior Kaitlyn Duhon adds defensive strength with an average of 3.3 steals per game.
– Sophomore Khady Leye provides stability inside with averages of 9.4 points and a team-best 5.6 rebounds.
– Senior Mya Petticord stands out as one of the best free throw shooters in the SEC.
Other notable contributors include Ja’Mia Harris, A’riel Jackson, Arek Angui, Angena Belloso, Clara Koulibaly, Quanirah Montague, and Eva Garabadian.
Defensively, Auburn ranks seventh in scoring defense within its conference and twenty-sixth nationally by allowing just over fifty-four points per game through December sixteen; every opponent so far has been held below its usual scoring output.
Following Thursday’s contest against Alcorn State, Auburn will break for holidays before facing Jackson State at Neville Arena on Monday afternoon (December twenty-ninth) in its final non-conference matchup.
