TARR'S TAKE: Auburn Women's Basketball Mid-Season Superlatives
Auburn women's basketball had a non-conference slate to remember in the second year of the Johnnie Harris era; the Tigers posted a 10-2 record, notched three 40-point victories and closed out the first half of the season on a seven-game winning streak.
Before the orange and blue set out to run the gauntlet that is SEC conference play, the group has earned the right to be recognized for their achievements to this point of the season.
The time has come for Tarr's Auburn women's basketball mid-season superlatives.
Non-Conference MVP: Honesty Scott-Grayson
Now a redshirt senior, the work Honesty Scott-Grayson has put in on a nightly basis has been nothing short of impressive. Averaging 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists, the star guard has posted a slew of 20-plus point nights and has shot a staggering 47.9 percent from the field. On the defensive end of the floor, Scott-Grayson has stepped up in big way. The team leader in steals, Auburn's floor general has forced opponents into north of 22 turnovers across her first 12 games, making her role on the squad virtually irreplaceable.
Non-Conference Breakout player: Sydney Shaw
It did not take long for freshman guard Sydney Shaw to introduce herself to Auburn fans; the five-foot-nine freshman took the world by storm in the Tigers' season-opening victory over Sam Houston, posting 12 points in just 17 minutes of floor time. She has not taken her foot off the gas sense. Shaw has appeared in each of Auburn's first 12 games, making 11 starts and averaging 9.5 points per contest. A threat from range, the standout freshman trails only Scott-Grayson in three-pointers thus far — sinking a total of 21.
Most Improved From 2021-22: Carsen McFadden
The emergence of former walk-on Carsen McFadden has been a pleasant surprise for Auburn fans. Despite limited play time, McFadden's role as a depth piece has proved a viable weapon for the orange and blue in 2022; the five-foot-eight guard has seen the floor in eight contests to this point, providing a defensive spark and a sense of tempo when the Tigers have needed it.
Non-Conference Standout Defender: Aicha Coulibaly
As expected, Aicha Coulibaly is performing at an all-SEC level on the offensive end of the floor in her junior season. What many might have not pinned was the defensive development under Harris' watch. Coulibaly leads her team with 11 blocks and trails only Scott-Grayson in steals, poking the ball loose 21 times in just nine games played. Despite missing time down the non-conference stretch, it is difficult to imagine a world in which Coulibaly does not receive consideration for defensive honors from the league office come April.
Comeback Player: Romi Levy
Junior forward Romi Levy's resurgence in 2022 has been just what the doctor ordered; after missing her sophomore year due to an ACL tear suffered in practice, many speculated that Levy's return to high-impact minutes might be a slow one. The six-foot-three forward had other ideas. Through her first 10 games of return from injury, Levy has returned to playing 25 minutes per contest and is averaging 8.9 points per game.
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