The No. 14 Auburn women’s basketball team will play its last home game of the calendar year tonight as the Tigers (8-0) host Sam Houston State (1-5) at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.

It will be “Toys for Tots Night” at the game against the Bearkats, as fans will receive free admission by donating a new, unwrapped toy.

The game is the final home game of 2008 for the nationally-ranked Tigers. Auburn will hit the road for its next five games, returning home on Jan. 3 to take on Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m.

Auburn is coming off a 95-74 win over North Carolina A&T on Wednesday night, a victory that improved the Tigers to 8-0 for the 13th time in the team’s history. Senior DeWanna Bonner led a pack of four Tigers that finished in double-digit scoring with 26 points.

She was joined by fellow seniors Trevesha Jackson and Sherell Hobbs with 16 points each, and Whitney Boddie with 10.

Sam Houston State is 1-5 on the season, with the lone win coming in an 83-80 victory over Centenary. The Bearkats have lost their last three games by an average of 16 points, including a 76-63 loss to Fresno State last weekend at the Southern Methodist Tournament.

“Sam Houston State is playing really well as a team. It does not show in their record, but with them averaging nearly 20 assists per game, they are playing really well as a team,” said Auburn head coach Nell Fortner.

“They have some new faces from last season, some freshman, and over time they will be able to put some things together. We just have to be prepared and not overlook them.”

Auburn met Sam Houston State for the first time in its history last season, taking an 80-36 win at the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas. Bonner led the Tigers with 24 points in only 21 minutes of play in the win.

Leading SHSU so far this season is junior Brittany Brooks with her 9.8 points per game. Not far behind her is freshman Khamra Echols with 9.3 points per game and 3.3 assists per game. Echols has two of SHSU’s three 20-point games this season, putting up 22 vs. Southern Miss and 21 against Centenary.

Senior Lydia Gonzalez, who averages 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, has the other 20-point game as she tallied 22 last Saturday against Fresno State.

The Bearkats’ top rebounder is junior Whitney Smith with her 6.5 per outing.

Auburn is 3-0 at home so far this season, averaging 92.3 points per game on its home court with an average margin of victory of 15.7 points.

Sam Houston State comes into the game with an 0-3 road record.