Smalley leads Auburn women past Troy

In a game loaded with fouls, Smalley tied a career high with 23 points and added four assists. She hit 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to widen the Tigers lead to 66-59 with two minutes to play in the game. She controlled the ball late in the game.

“That’s what you do with your veteran, and Alli knows that’s her role this year,” Auburn coach Nell Fortner said. “She’s the leader of this team and she’s the go-to player. I think she’s done a great job of embracing that role.”

Smalley has no problem embracing the role of leader.

“Like Coach Fortner said, I’m one of the upperclassmen now,” Smalley said. “I have more experience than the other players, and we are a young team. One time, I noticed we had three freshmen, a sophomore, and a junior on the floor. That’s pretty young right there. We’ll just continue to learn and get better. We’re not used to playing together. We’ve got to get a flow together.”

Fortner said finding that flow will be critical this year after losing four starters. The Tigers won the SEC Championship with senior starters DeWanna Bonner, Whitney Boddie, Sherell Hobbs and Trevesha Jackson, but the Tigers will have to learn how to play without those four.

“It is always nice to start your season with a win and we will take that, but this team has a long way to go,” Fortner said. “We have tremendous potential, but we just aren't there yet.”

The Tigers and Trojans combined for 54 fouls in the contest, and Fortner said playing with nine players is difficult enough without adding foul trouble to the equation.

“It’s very hard. It changes your whole rotation with what you’re doing,” Fortner said. “Without having KeKe (Carrier) or PJ (West) tonight really hurt us. Alli playing 40 minutes, that’s too much. Hopefully that won’t happen to us again.

Fortner said there is one way to fix the problem.

“Kids just have to grow up and learn how to play at this level and come to play every night,” she said. “That’s just something that, as we have a young team, it’s just going to take us awhile.”

Fortner said the Tigers will have to work on how to spread the ball around. Smalley and freshman Nicolle Thomas combined to take 37 of the team's 65 shots.

“I want Alli to take 21 shots,” Fortner said. “I’m not ready for Nicole to take 16. That was not in the plan, but Alli needs 21 shots, at least, a game. I don’t even mind if she gets 25. She knows she needs those shots and she’s going to have more good shooting nights than not, but we’ve got to spread those other ones out.”

Auburn held several leads in the game, but Troy seemed to find a way to claw back into the game. Troy held a lead twice, but the Tigers did just enough to get past the stingy Trojans Friday.

Auburn's biggest lead of the night was nine points midway through the first half. The Tigers led 38-34 at the half, but Troy came out hot in the second half. Smalley kept the Trojans from taking the lead back

But Troy kept pushing and tied the score at 44-44 with 15:30 left. Sophie Kleeman gave the Trojans a 46-44 lead.

Junior Jordan Greenleaf gave the Tigers a 47-46 lead at the 13-minute mark, and Auburn would not trail again. Greenleaf had five points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Chantel Hilliard and freshman Nicolle Thomas each had 13 points and five rebounds.

Brittnie Davis led Troy with 14 points. Sophie Kleeman and Jamesha Blake added 12 points.