Hoopsters destroy competition, win Dial Classic
Hoopsters destroy competition, win Dial Classic
JEREMY HOLLOMAN
Sports Editor
Auburn's women's basketball team won its fifth straight, and eleventh overall, Dial Soap Classic tournament title Saturday at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.
Auburn blew out Georgia Southern University 81-42 in the championship game of the Classic.
Four Auburn players scored in double digits, including tournament Most Valuable Player Tara Williams, a senior forward, with 15 and junior guard Justine Agbatan, who led all scorers with 21.
With Agbatan's 21-point performance, the Tigers have had a player break 20 in all three games this season.
Besides boasting the MVP, Auburn also placed two players, Agbatan and freshman guard Tiffany Krantz, on the all-tournament team.
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Joining Agbatan and Krantz on the all-tournament team were Georgia Southern's Danielle Tool, Alabama State University's Ebonyee Williams and Charleston Southern University's Jennifer Steadman.
Saturday's victory also marked the 13th time in 18 seasons under Head Coach Joe Ciampi that the Tigers have started 3-0.
Thus far this season, the Tigers have held their opponents to an anemic 28.7 field goal percentage, including 31 percent against Georgia Southern.
Auburn out-rebounded the Golden Eagles 56-34 and had a total of 6 blocks.
"I was impressed with our defensive play on the floor," Ciampi said.
Senior guard Tamika Slade paced the Tigers with 6 assists as they shot 48.6 percent from the floor, including a 7 of 14 trey performance.
"Offensively our goal was to work the baseline and penetrate, and I think we did a good job of that today," Ciampi said.
For the Golden Eagles, Terry Hall led them with 13 points and 9 boards.
Auburn advanced to the championship game with a 81-42 victory over Charleston Southern in the opening round on Friday.
Against the Charleston Southern, Auburn used its ferocious defense to hold the Buccaneers to 27.8 percent shooting.
The Buccaneers didn't score for the first 5 minutes and 55 seconds of the game, until Steadman sank a pair of free throws.
They didn't get their first bucket until 10:47 mark in the first half, when Steadman canned a jumper.
Auburn capitalized on 31 Buccaneer turnovers to score 40 points.
"I thought we played a good defensive game," Ciampi said.
Krantz poured in 22 points on 7 of 13 shooting, including 4 of 9 from three-point land.
"I think that Tiffany has great offensive potential, and she is a great penetrator," Ciampi said.
Three other Auburn players scored double digits, including 12 from Williams.
Agbatan led the team with 7 steals and added 8 boards.
"I know how General Custer felt," Charleston Southern head coach Fred Francello said.
Swimming, diving teams meet with early season successes
MATT ROMANO
Assistant Sports Editor
Auburn's swimming and diving teams had a busy Thanksgiving as they feasted on their competition in two late November meets.
The first of the two occured in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the Nike Sprint Classic/Husker Shootout.
The meet in Lincoln was actually two meets in one.
The Nike Sprint Classic consisted of the short races, 50 and 100-meters.
All races were included in the Husker Shootout.
In Lincoln, the men's team came away with a first place finish while the women's team placed second.
The men scored 428 points to out do Florida State University's 410, the University of Nebraska's 370, Arizona State University's 313, and Southern Methodist University's 309.
"Although we were upset by Nebraska in the team race, I was pleased with everyone's performances," head coach David Marsh said.
Leading the way for the Tiger's were junior John Flanigan, junior Scott Tucker, and sophomore Adam Jerger who all contributed first place finishes.
Also coming in first were the 400 and 200 meter medley relay teams.
"We had depth were they had only one or two really good people," coach Marsh said.
The women, who followed SMU's 500 points with 477 points of their own, were led by sophomore Chrissy Mitchell, sophomore Katie Taylor, and sophomore Sara Nunemaker who all finished first in their respective events.
"This meet was a great stepping stone for us," Marsh said.
The women's 200 meter medley relay team, 400 and 800 meter freestyle teams all finished first as well.
"This meet was the most significant in three years," Marsh said.
In the Tiger's second meet of the break, both the men's and women's teams wound up victourious over American University of Washington, D.C.
The men won by a margin of 72-38 while the women came away with a 66-44 victory.
First place finishes from sophomore James McCreary, Flanigan, freshman Tom Klement and Tucker along with 200 meter medley and 200 meter freestyle relay victories paced the Tiger's victory.
Also having a successful run in the Capital was junior Koffi Kla who won the men's 1M diving competition.
The women were led by first place finishers Nunemaker, Mitchell, freshman Mimi Bowen, sophomore Erika Frykberg, sophomore Jennifer Reynolds, freshman Katie Ryan, freshman Rada Owen, and the 200 meter medley relay team.
The Tigers return home after the break to host the Auburn Invitational on December 14-16.
Roundballers get off to topsy-turvy start
JEREMY HOLLOMAN
Sports Editor
Auburn opened its 1996 men's basketball season with a dull bang, losing to the University of Alabama at Birmingham then beating the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at home.
In front of a standing room only crowd of 8,665, many of them Auburn fans, the Tigers lost a slow-paced, low scoring affair to the Blazers 64-57 the night before the Iron Bowl.
Pat Burke led the Tigers with a double-double, 17 points and 13 rebounds, along with two blocks and a steal.
Burke said the loss hurt but he felt every one played well and it was something they could learn from.
Senior guard Wes Flanigan was the only other Tiger to break double digits, knocking down 10 points in 37 minutes.
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Auburn went into halftime down 31-23 but won the second half 34-33.
Defensively, the Tigers held the Blazers to a .352 shooting percentage.
They also out-rebounded the Blazers 39-35.
"It was one fine defensive game on both team's part," Head Coach Cliff Ellis said.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, they also committed 20 turn overs to UAB's 13.
"They are a tough team, and they are a veteran team," Burke said. "They put a little pressure on the ball, and I think our guys weren't ready for it."
Auburn was equally as unimpressive from the charity stripe, connecting on seven of 15 free throws, including zero of five in the second half.
Auburn managed to rebound the following Monday at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff 89-56.
"Our execution was better," Burke said.
Ellis said, "It was a great effort by everybody."
Burke again led the Tigers in scoring and rebounds, recording another double double, 20 points, 13 boards, one block and three assists.
"Pat was the key to the basketball game," Ellis said.
Three other Tigers broke double digits with junior forward Franklin Williams leading the pack with 14 points.
"After UAB, we had to gear up and turn up the intensity," Williams said.
Ellis said, "We tried to get a lot of playing time for everybody."
Flanigan led the team with eight assists, giving him 10 on the year.
The Tigers again held their opponent to a poor shooting performance, 34.9 percent, while shooting 45.3 percent themselves.
Auburn managed to pick up its free-throw percentage a few points to 58.3 percent on 21 of 36 shooting.
Auburn also held a decided edge in rebounds, 54-32, and points off turnovers, 26-8.
"Auburn came to play," Pine Bluff Head Coach Harold Blevins said.
Next up for the Tigers is a trip to Hawaii for the Hawaii-Hilo Tournament.
"That is going to be a tough trip," Williams said.
