CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Auburn women’s basketball head coach Nell Fortner has stressed the importance of winning championships throughout a season in order to be successful at the end of the season. Her team took another one of those steps Tuesday as the No. 9 Tigers (14-0) downed Miami (9-4), 68-53, to win the Miami Holiday Tournament. The tournament win is the second of the season as Auburn also won the Florida International Thanksgiving Classic.
“It does not matter to me what it is, but anytime you have an opportunity to win a championship, you want to play hard, compete and give it your all to win it,” said Fortner. “I’m really proud of how we came out and stayed focused and played a pretty good second half of basketball.”
Auburn trailed at the half for just the second time this season, going into the locker room at halftime down 32-30. But, the Tigers put together a 38-21 second half en route to the 15-point win.
DeWanna Bonner led Auburn with 18 points and eight rebounds, but it was senior point guard Whitney Boddie stepping up big as well with nine points, nine rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Her rebound, assist and steal totals were all game-highs.
For her efforts in the two tournament games, Boddie was named the Miami Holiday Tournament MVP. For the tournament, she nearly averaged a triple-double with 11.5 points, 10.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Other Tigers on the all-tournament team were Bonner and sophomore guard Alli Smalley.
In the two tournament games, Bonner averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while Smalley averaged a team-best 18.5 points per game, knocking down 7-of-11 three-point
attempts.