In front of a home crowd at Neville Arena on Monday, the Auburn Tigers rolled out a commanding 84‑35 win over the Alabama State Hornets to kick off the 2026‑27 season. A 24‑0 surge in the second quarter helped the Tigers pull away, showcasing the depth and intensity that head coach Larry Vickers expects from his second‑year squad.
Early dominance and key contributions
After a tentative start, Auburn unleashed a 24‑0 run that turned a close first quarter into a comfortable lead. The Tigers made their first three shots of the game, then went cold for 11 attempts before freshman Ashley Knox broke the drought with a three‑pointer.
Transfer guard Danielle Osho, making her Auburn debut, opened the scoring with a three‑pointer on the first possession. Osho finished with a team‑high 16 points, adding five rebounds, three assists, four blocked shots and three steals. “It feels great to play games after practicing for so long,” Osho said, noting the support of her family traveling from Dacula, Georgia.
Supporting cast steps up
Veteran forward Zahara Bishop contributed 13 points, while Jessica Peterson added 12 points and a game‑high eight rebounds. Sania Richardson posted 11 points, six rebounds and a team‑high five assists, and Savannah Scott chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. All ten Tigers who played in the first half scored, underscoring the balanced attack Vickers has cultivated.
The Tigers’ defense was equally impressive, holding Alabama State to just 24 percent shooting and forcing 23 turnovers. Auburn limited the Hornets to five points in the fourth quarter, sealing the win with a 9‑0 run.
Coach Vickers on the performance
“There’s nothing like that first game at home. We needed that ten minutes to settle down,” Vickers said. “Our intensity was right in the first quarter, and once we settled, we pulled away. We added shooting and spacing, which was a focus for us this season.”
Vickers praised Osho’s fit in the system, noting her size and shooting ability. He also highlighted the defensive effort, especially after senior defender Kaitlyn Duhon left the game early with a thigh injury. “If you’d told me Duhon would play only eight minutes and we’d defend that well, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Vickers added, expressing optimism about her return.
Looking ahead
Auburn (1‑0) heads to its next home contest on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT against Southern Miss at Neville Arena. The Tigers will look to build on their early-season momentum and continue refining their perimeter shooting, having made 8 of 21 three‑point attempts against the Hornets.
The win marks the lowest point total allowed by Vickers during his tenure at Auburn, a promising sign for a team eager to compete in the SEC this season.
Original reporting: Alabama News Network — read the source article.
