AUBURN, Ala. – A solid second-half start helped the Auburn Tigers maintain a steady lead in a 79-63 win over the North Carolina A&T women's basketball team Thursday night inside Neville Arena. 

The Aggies dropped to 5-4 despite 14 points and eight rebounds from junior D'Mya Tucker. Auburn (8-2) won its fifth straight led by Honesty Scott-Grayson's 31 points and five steals on 10-for-18 shooting. 

Auburn scored the first six points of the game before a Tucker layup got the Aggies on the scoreboard. Then, a Nahndi Smith 3-point play helped the Aggies cut Auburn's lead to 11-7 with 3:06 remaining in the first quarter. But Syndey Shaw's 3-pointer helped the Tigers end the first on an 8-3 spurt to take a 19-10 lead into the second quarter. 

The Aggies played almost even with the Tigers in the second quarter. The teams went into the locker room at halftime, with Auburn leading 33-22. Auburn, however, scored the first 11 points of the second half by connecting on its four shots to take a 44-22 lead. 

After Taliya Council ended Auburn's run with a layup, the Tigers outscored A&T 9-2 to take its largest lead of the game at 55-26 with 6 ½ minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

A&T did respond, however. Maleia Bracone ignited a 9-0 run with a three to cut Auburn's lead to 20 with 4:08 remaining in the third. Jazmin Harris closed the third with a layup to get the Aggies to within 17, 65-48. 

A&T opened the fourth quarter by scoring the first six points to cut the lead to 65-54 with 8:11 remaining. But an 8-1 Tigers run capped off by a Precious Johnson layup gave the Tigers a comfortable 73-55 lead with 4:13 remaining. 

Sophomore Jordyn Dorsey aided the Aggies' efforts with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists. Harris added nine points and seven rebounds.