HAMMOND, La. – After playing Southeastern Conference foe Auburn to a standstill in the opening half, the Southeastern Louisiana women's basketball team saw the Tigers pull away in the second half for a 72-44 non-conference victory Thursday night at Auburn Arena.
 
Southeastern (3-4) led by as many as eight points in the opening half, but went into the break trailing, 26-21. Auburn (5-2) shot 63.3 percent (19-for-30) from the floor in the second half, as the Tigers outscored SLU, 46-23, after the break.
 
SLU senior guard Symone Miller led the Lady Lions with 13 points, while junior guard Peaches Anderson joined her in double figures with 10. Senior guard Elizabeth Styles never came off the floor for the Lady Lions, finishing with eight points, seven rebounds and a team-high six assists.
 
Despite battling foul trouble throughout the game, SLU junior forward Nanna Pool led all players with eight rebounds. Styles, Miller and senior forward Jameika Hoskins led the Lady Lions with two steals apiece.
 
Tra'Cee Tanner led a balanced Auburn attack with 15 points and six rebounds. Tanner was joined in double figures by Brandy Montgomery (14 points), Jessica Jones (11 points) and Neydja Petihomme (11 points). Petihomme also led the Tigers with six assists.
 
After Auburn jumped out to a 3-0 lead on its first possession, Southeastern turned up the defensive effort. The Lady Lions held the Tigers scoreless for the next 8:02 on the clock, going on an 11-0 run to take an 11-3 lead on a Miller jumper.
 
Southeastern maintained a 13-7 lead until Pool picked up her second foul with just over nine minutes remaining in the half. With its best post player on the bench, Southeastern saw AU go on a 13-0 run, as a Jessica Jones basket put the Tigers up, 20-13, with 4:52 left in the half.
 
The lead would grow to as much as 10, but a three by Anderson and a Miller jumper cut the Auburn advantage to 26-21 at the break.
 
Southeastern would hang in close for the first several minutes of the second half. The Lady Lions got as close as two early in the half and trailed just 33-28 with 16:41 left after a Pool score.
 
Unfortunately for the Lady Lions, Pool's bucket was the last points Southeastern would score for a six-minute stretch. At the end of the 17-0 run, Southeastern trailed 50-28 and SLU would get no closer than 19 the rest of the way.
 
Thursday's game was the first of three straight on the road against Southeastern Conference opponents. On Sunday, the Lady Lions will be at Mississippi State for a 2 p.m. contest. Sunday's game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSport.snet.