Women’s Hoops Come From Behind to Beat Auburn

Women’s Hoops Come From Behind to Beat Auburn

2/5/2006

AUBURN, Ala. — The 21st-ranked Vanderbilt women’s basketball came from behind to win its third straight Southeastern Conference contest, 57-53, at Auburn’s Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum Sunday.

Junior Caroline Williams led the Commodores with 19 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three point range. Junior Carla Thomas was also in double-figures for Vanderbilt, scoring 16 points.

Vanderbilt’s first lead came at the four-minute mark of the second half. Junior Dee Davis dished out her 10th assist of the game to Williams, whose triple gave the Commodores a 52-51 advantage.

Auburn reclaimed the lead when Marita Payne hit a jumper from the baseline. On Vanderbilt’s next possession, Thomas was sent to the line for one-and-one. An 84 percent free throw shooter on the season, Thomas nailed both charity tosses to regain the edge, 54-53.

Another free throw by Davis gave the Commodores a 55-53 advantage with 14 seconds remaining in regulation. On Auburn’s next possession, the Tigers’ Nitasha Brown missed a three point attempt and Thomas came down with a key VU rebound. The Mechanicsburg, Pa., native iced the game by hitting both of her free throws and giving VU a four-point lead with only seven seconds left.

Brown led the Tigers with 19 points on 4-of-9 from behind the arc. Defensively, Marita Payne contributed seven blocks for Auburn.

The Commodores trailed by as much as 13 in the first half, but closed the period on a 12-2 run while not allowing an Auburn field goal in the final seven minutes of the period. Williams scored 11 of her team-high 19 in the first half.

Vanderbilt plays four of its final five regular season games at home, starting on Thursday, Feb. 9, when Arkansas visits Memorial Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. CT tip. The Lady Razorbacks opened VU’s 2006 league schedule by handing the Dores a 52-51 overtime loss in Fayetteville.