AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) - Auburn Women's Basketball extended its undefeated start to 5-0 on Monday night, grinding out a 69-65 win over Georgia State inside Neville Arena. The Tigers overcame a sluggish opening stretch and leaned heavily on freshman guard Harissoum Coulibaly, whose speed and steady scoring carried Auburn through multiple momentum swings.
The Tigers spent the first five minutes stuck in neutral, missing their first six attempts from the field before finally settling in. Coulibaly ignited the team off the bench by turning defensive stops into fast-break points, helping Auburn shake off its early scoring drought. The Tigers took a 13-9 lead after A’riel Jackson scored as the buzzer rang to conclude the first quarter.
Coulibaly knocked down the Tigers’ only three-pointer of the first half and accounted for much of Auburn’s offense as the team built a 28-22 halftime lead. Kaitlyn Duhon added a burst late in the half, fueling a 6-0 stretch with a steal, layup and second-chance finish.
Auburn grabbed its largest advantage early in the third quarter, stretching the margin to 11 on a strong finish from A’riel Jackson. Georgia State responded immediately, reeling off a 12-0 run powered by two threes from Kaleigh Addie and a standout scoring night from Crystal Henderson, who finished with a game-high 21 points.
Once again, Coulibaly shifted the momentum. The freshman’s quick first step helped her slice through the defense for back-to-back baskets that halted the Panthers’ surge. Mya Petticord beat the horn at the end of the third, pushing Auburn ahead 51-44 entering the final period.
Georgia State trimmed the lead to a single point early in the fourth, but Auburn countered with its strongest stretch of the night. Coulibaly continued to attack the lane, and Khady Leye added timely scoring and rebounding as the Tigers built a nine-point cushion with just over four minutes remaining.
Leye delivered her first double-double in an Auburn uniform, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Duhon added 13 points and eight rebounds, and her two late free throws in the final seconds sealed the win after Georgia State made one last push.
Auburn ended the night with a 41-30 rebounding advantage and matched its best start to a season since 2016–17. The Tigers will be back in Neville Arena on Thursday at 6 p.m. CDT to meet Rutgers for an SEC–Big Ten matchup.
