No, the senior leaders of the Auburn women’s basketball team haven’t ever been part of a perfect run through non-conference opponents, but they’ve come close enough.

Still, despite the strong starts in the past that haven’t exactly translated into the late-season success they now expect, there’s a different feeling buzzing among the veteran-laden team.

“We definitely have all the pieces,” senior DeWanna Bonner said. “We have chemistry and I think everything is there for us to be a great team in this league.”

Saturday’s 79-56 win over Stephen F. Austin at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum wasn’t exactly an exclamation point on No. 9 Auburn’s perfect 15-0 run through its non-conference schedule, but it was plenty to maintain the increasingly positive momentum it’s built heading into SEC play.

“The main difference is that we came in focused this year,” senior guard Sherell Hobbs said. “From the last game last year all the way until now, we have had a certain goal. Everybody has been on the same page.”

Auburn hasn’t started a season this strong since 1988-89, when it won its first 29 games before losing to Tennessee late in the season. The Tigers went on to win the SEC and advanced to the Final Four that year.

Auburn got its first taste of the NCAA Tournament under coach Nell Fortner last season, but couldn’t make it past the first round.

The Tigers haven’t lost since.

“I feel very confident,” Fortner said. “I’ve seen it all preseason long and it’s something that just comes with experience.”

The Tigers got the bulk of their points and rebounds from their most experienced players Saturday.

Hobbs led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Bonner added 17. Senior forward Trevesha Jackson nearly doubled her scoring average with 12 points.

Point guard Whitney Boddie, who was academically ineligible for the second half of last season, didn’t make a shot and attempted just three, but pushed the Tigers at an uptempo pace in a game that lacked much flow. Boddie finished with a game-high seven assists, but left Fortner asking for more.

“She needs to score,” Fortner said. “She needs to shoot the ball along with the other things she does. When that happens with her, it slows us down a little bit.”

A mum night from Boddie wasn’t nearly enough for the overmatched Ladyjacks to put much of a scare into the Tigers. Auburn opened the game on a 14-0 run and led by double-digits throughout the entire second half.

“I’m really pleased with finishing our non-conference schedule undefeated and taking that momentum to start the SEC season,” Fortner said. “We still have room for improvement and we still will improve.”

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