The last time the Auburn women’s basketball team came off a big win against a highly ranked team, it had perennial bottom-dweller Alabama on its schedule.

The Tigers’ opponent tonight, much-improved South Carolina, won’t exactly provide a relaxing cooldown four days after Auburn’s dominating victory over No. 9 Georgia.

The Gamecocks have a big victory over Auburn this season to prove it.

“They beat us pretty bad last time with their transition offense,” coach Nell Fortner said of the Tigers’ 63-49 loss in Columbia last month. “We have to do a better job of getting back and slowing them down. We also have to do a better job scoring the basketball.

“Hopefully, playing at home and shooting on our baskets will help.”

Tonight’s tip is set for 6 at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

Auburn’s loss to the Gamecocks kick-started the four-game losing streak it took into Sunday’s big win against the Bulldogs. The Tigers played arguably their best and most complete game of the season Sunday, controlling the tempo on offense and preventing Georgia to get into any sort of rhythm on its end of the floor.

In Fortner’s opinion, though, what happened on Sunday stays on Sunday.

“It is just one game,” she said. “You always try to build on anything positive. A win is a win, we are excited about the win. We played well, and we are hoping to take another home game and use it as an advantage.”

Auburn failed to capitalize on much of anything against the Gamecocks the first time this season.

Junior-college transfer Valerie Nainima helped the Gamecocks separate from Auburn in the second half, going on a personal 9-0 run where she knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers on three straight possessions. Forward Kelsey Bone has been one of the best freshmen in the nation, averaging nearly a double-double (14.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg) per game.

“We have to be able to get back in transition and stop their running game,” Fortner said. “They like to push the ball and get out and run. We have to get back and set our defenses to make it hard for them to score. We have to match up with their shooters and try and turn around and put some points on the board.”

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