AUBURN, Ala. – Honesty Scott-Grayson equaled her career high with 31 points and Auburn held No. 1 South Carolina to its lowest-scoring half of the SEC season but the Gamecocks defeated the Tigers 76-54 Thursday at Neville Arena.
"I was really proud of how we came out. I thought we set the tone which we wanted to do," Auburn coach Johnnie Harris said. "We guarded our tails off. We played hard, we were tough, we battled and that's what I wanted to see. Really proud of my team for not quitting. We'll have to build on the good things we did tonight."
The Tigers held the top-ranked Gamecocks to 27 points in the first half, limiting the visitors to 28.6-percent shooting through the first two quarters. Auburn held the nation's top long-distance shooter, Te-Hina Paopao, to just one 3-pointer on four attempts.
"They had a great game plan. They made us play bad," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. "It was their pressure defense and their ability to play their style of play. They challenged every pass and they're able to put pressure on the ball. They disrupt your offense. You can't get to any of your offense."
Trailing by five at the half, Auburn missed its first five shots of the third quarter during a 6-0 South Carolina run that saw the Gamecocks build a double-digit lead.
After an Auburn timeout, Scott-Grayson scored seven points in less than a minute to keep her team in contention. She ended the drought with a 3-pointer, then scored a layup in transition after Taylen Collins' steal to pull the Tigers within five points, reenergizing the home crowd of 4,814.
"Taking what I can, being aggressive and going at them," said Scott-Grayson, who was 11 of 23 from the field and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. "I was probably one of the smallest on the floor. Taking my shots when I had them, and when I saw that opening to drive, I took advantage of every opportunity. They're the No. 1 team in the country for a reason. We fought hard. I'm proud of us."
South Carolina used a 9-0 run to take a 17-point lead before Scott-Grayson made two shots in the final 31 seconds of the quarter to send Auburn to the final quarter trailing 48-35.
Scott-Grayson scored 11 of Auburn's 13 third-quarter points and added 10 more in the fourth, earning the admiration of South Carolina's hall of fame coach.
"She was a bucket," Staley said. "I knew she was cooking us. I'm not surprised. She's a veteran player. She's got some trickery out there. She did a great job of making us guard her."
South Carolina pulled away early in the fourth quarter, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 20-point lead and pushing its lead to 25 before Sydney Shaw hit a pair of late 3-pointers for the Tigers.
When Savannah Scott scored Auburn's first points of the night on a pick-and-roll, The Jungle roared its approval.
Throughout the first half, the crowd remained engaged and the home team stayed within striking distance of the top-ranked Gamecocks. After an Auburn steal, Timya Thurman's layup pulled the Tigers within one point at the end of the opening period, despite Auburn's six turnovers.
After South Carolina missed all eight of its 3-point attempts in the first quarter, the Gamecocks did not attempt any more the rest of the half.
Scott-Grayson scored 10 points in the first half, giving Auburn a 16-15 lead with a pair of free throws at the 7:16 mark of the second quarter.
Scott-Grayson's jumper pulled Auburn within one point late in the quarter before a 6-0 run helped South Carolina take a 27-22 halftime lead, aided by a 14-6 advantage in points off turnovers and a 9-0 edge in fastbreak points.
One of four Gamecocks in double figures, Ashlyn Watkins scored 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for South Carolina (20-0, 8-0).
Staley, who's led South Carolina to a pair of national championships, complimented Harris' leadership and development of Auburn's program.
"She has her talent, she has her defense," Staley said. "She has a great coaching staff. Fred Williams coached me in the WNBA. She has players who believe in her system. It's not a fluke what's happening. You don't turn it around as she's turned it around in three years in our league in this day and age."
Auburn (14-7, 3-5) travels to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to play the Razorbacks Sunday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
No. 1 South Carolina tops Auburn despite Scott-Grayson's career night
