AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — The Auburn women’s basketball team built a commanding early lead and then withstood a determined fourth-quarter rally from Alcorn State to secure a 62-50 victory on Thursday night at Auburn Arena.

The Tigers, improving to 10-3 on the season, appeared to be cruising toward a routine nonconference win after holding the Lady Braves to just six first-quarter points and taking a 38-20 lead into halftime. Auburn’s defensive pressure was the story of the first half, forcing 15 Alcorn State turnovers and converting them into 20 points. The Tigers’ dominance inside was stark, outscoring Alcorn State 42-16 in the paint for the game.

Auburn maintained its distance through the third quarter, leading 56-39 heading into the final period. However, the Lady Braves, who fell to 2-7, mounted a significant comeback attempt. Alcorn State opened the fourth quarter on an 11-1 run, fueled by aggressive defense and timely scoring. A jump shot by Jazlyn Johnson off a Kiarra Henderson assist cut Auburn’s lead to 57-50 with just over nine minutes remaining, capping the surge and forcing the Tigers to regroup.

The most important part of the game followed, as Auburn’s offense, which had gone cold, finally found a response. After a scoring drought of nearly six minutes, Harissoum Coulibaly ended the dry spell with a crucial layup at the 6:35 mark to push the lead back to nine points. Alcorn State would not score again for over four more minutes, as the Tigers’ defense reasserted itself. Auburn held the Lady Braves to just 11 points in the final nine minutes and without a field goal for the last 5:06 of the game to close out the win.

Coulibaly, a guard from Paris, France, led Auburn with 14 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Forward Khady Leye of Louga, Senegal, added 15 points and a game-high 32 minutes. The Tigers’ backcourt of Kaitlyn Duhon and Mya Petticord combined for 13 points, 10 steals, and seven assists, spearheading the disruptive defensive effort.

For Alcorn State, Lauren Nelson of El Dorado, Arkansas, scored a game-high 16 points, including 11 in the second half, and added a block. Nakia Cheatham of Clarksdale, Mississippi, contributed 14 points and was active defensively with multiple steals. Guard Kiarra Henderson of Fort Worth, Texas, directed the offense with five assists.

Auburn shot efficiently from the field while Alcorn State struggled, particularly in the first half. The Tigers also capitalized on their opportunities at the free-throw line. The Lady Braves won the turnover battle in the second half, but their early deficit proved too large to overcome.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 2,670. Auburn now looks ahead to a home game against Jackson State on Monday. Alcorn State continues its challenging road stretch with a game at Mississippi on Sunday.