FORT WORTH, Texas – Unique Thompson scored a career-high 31 points, but early foul trouble and turnovers cost Auburn in an 80-65 loss at TCU Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Auburn (4-5) turned the ball over 19 times, leading to 26 points for TCU (7-0), and multiple Tigers missed significant minutes with foul trouble; two players fouled out. The Horned Frogs took advantage, getting into the bonus every quarter and hitting 23-of-33 free throws for the game.
"We just fouled too much," Auburn head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. "That put us in foul trouble. You've got Daisa in foul trouble, Kiyae' in foul trouble. We just put them at the free-throw line way too many times. And then we turned the basketball over. We knew going in, whoever took care of the basketball would win the game. And we didn't."
Thompson's 31 points were the most by an Auburn player since Katie Frerking had 32 at Texas A&M in 2017. Thompson also added 15 rebounds to pick up her ninth double-double of the season and 10th straight dating back to last year, continuing the longest active streak in the nation.
But Thompson was Auburn's only player in double figures. Lauren Hansen and Brooke Moore added eight points and Daisa Alexander had six; all three fought foul trouble throughout the game. Alexander and Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu tied for the team lead with four assists, and Kiyae' White and Erin Howard had three steals apiece.
Neither team shot the ball particularly well; Auburn hit 24-of-67 from the floor (35.8%) and TCU was one shot better at 25-of-67 (37.3). But the Frogs made seven 3-pointers to Auburn's three, and made up the rest of the difference at the free-throw line. TCU also out-rebounded Auburn 49-42.
Auburn went on a 13-2 run early in the second quarter to tie the game after trailing by nine at the end of the first. But foul trouble took a toll as TCU was in the bonus for the final five minutes of the quarter and took advantage, hitting 7-of-9 free throws in the period. Meanwhile, three starters missed significant minutes with two or more fouls, and the Horned Frogs took a 44-31 lead at the break.
The Tigers cut the lead to single-digits early in the third, but TCU went on a 13-5 run to take a 58-40 lead, and Auburn got no closer than 15 points the rest of the way.
Jaycee Bradley led TCU with 24 points and Lauren Heard added 21 points and 10 rebounds; Heard went 10-for-10 at the free-throw line.
After a break for final exams, Auburn is back in action next Sunday, Dec. 15, at home against Bethune-Cookman. Game time is 2 p.m. CT at Auburn Arena; the first 250 fans will receive a free Aubie Claus beanie.