4-seed Auburn 1989 survives 10-0 run to hold off 13-seed Rutgers 1988

Pos	Auburn 1989	Pts	3pt	2pt	FT	Att	Reb	Stl	Blk	Fl	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Ruthie Bolton	4	0	2	0	0	6	2	0	2	5'8, 7.9, 4.2, 5.7
2-SG	Patrena Scruggs	19	0	9	1	1	6	1	0	2	5'9, 10.2, 4.6, 1.9
3-SF	Carolyn Jones	9	0	4	1	2	5	0	1	3	5'8, 14.5, 4.4, 1.7
4-PF	Linda Godby	6	0	3	0	0	4	0	1	1	6'5, 11.4, 4.8, 0.4
5-C	Vickie Orr	12	0	5	2	4	11	2	4	1	6'3, 15.9, 8.6, 0.4
Pos	Bench	Pts	3pt	2pt	FT	Att	Reb	Stl	Blk	Fl	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Lynn Stevenson	4	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	1	5'8, 2.2, 1.4, 1.7
2-SG	Chantel Tremitiere	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	5'6, 1.9, 1.7, 1.6
3-SF	Evelyn Thompson	4	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	1	5'9, 4.8, 2.0, 1.1
4-PF	Jocelyn McGilberry	4	0	2	0	0	3	0	0	1	6'0, 7.6, 6.3, 0.6
5-C	Kendall Mago	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	6'4, 3.3, 3.5, 0.3
	20 Turnovers	66	0	31	4	7	40	5	6	14
Pos	Rutgers 1988	Pts	3pt	2pt	FT	Att	Reb	Stl	Blk	Fl	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Janet Malouf	6	0	3	0	2	3	3	0	1	5'6, 6.4, 2.6, 5.9
2-SG	Telicher Austin	2	0	1	0	0	3	2	0	2	5'9, 13.5, 3.9, 3.6
3-SF	Sue Wicks	22	0	10	2	4	1	0	0	1	6'3, 25.6, 12.1, 2.6
4-PF	Vicky Picott	2	0	1	0	0	4	0	0	1	6'0, 11.4, 7.8, 1.3
5-C	Michelle Lender	18	0	9	0	0	8	2	0	3	6'2, 12.2, 5.2, 1.3
Pos	Bench	Pts	3pt	2pt	FT	Att	Reb	Stl	Blk	Fl	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Glorisa Catala	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	5'6, 3.3, 0.9, 1.0
2-SG	Jill Shildt	4	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	1	5'9, 3.7, 2.2, 1.8
3-SF	Suzanne Cooper	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	5'9, 2.8, 1.5, 1.0
4-PF	Lynn Ust	2	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	1	5'11, 5.2, 2.8, 1.6
5-C	Wendy Porter	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	6'1, 2.1, 2.3, 0.4
	11 Turnovers	58	0	28	2	6	25	7	0	13

Update: Auburn 1989 survived another scare by a double digit underdogs, after Rutgers went on a 10-0 fueled Sue Wicks of Rutgers 1988. Shot blockers Linda Godby and Vickie Orr held Rutgers back for most of the game to give Auburn a 46-42 lead, until the 10-0 run gave Rutgers a 52-56 lead.  However, Auburn survived 66-62 behind a double double by Vickie Orr (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Patrena Scruggs 19 points).

The closer-than-expected game drops Auburn from 14th to 21st in our all-time rankings, while Rutgers improved slightly from 50th to 47th. All ratings and games are tracked here. We temporarily posted incorrect info for this game because we had flipped the teams and their lay-up ranges for the game (had Rutgers with a 51-62 and Auburn with a 51-55 instead of the reverse). If that was the case then Rutgers would have won 66-62, but when we reran the die rolls with the corrected ranges is actually shifted to a mirror 66-62 Auburn win so they advance.

Here was the preview first.

Our next debut Value Add Basketball Game Value Add Basketball Game all-time match-up is from our Eastern Region bracket with the all-time 4-seed 1989 Auburn team playing a contemporary - the 13-seed Rutgers 1988.

 From the last few weeks of the 1987-88 season through the end of the 1989-90 season, either Tennessee, Louisiana Tech or Auburn was ranked No. 1 every week. Auburn not only beat those two great teams, but made the national championship game all three years.

In my book, making the national title game three years in a row is much more impressive than winning one title, so Auburn ranks as one of the greatest teams in history with the three straight national runners-up banners hanging in their arena even though they did not win any of the three title games.

Rutgers broke the top 10 for a few weeks during that time and goes in as a double digit (11-point) underdog. However, this game follows up a double digit upset by Marquette 2019 over one of those other three great teams from those three years (Tennessee 1989) to make double digit underdogs 13-76, so Rutgers will try to make it two straight big upsets.

Pos	Auburn 1989	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Ruthie Bolton	5'8, 7.9, 4.2, 5.7
2-SG	Patrena Scruggs	5'9, 10.2, 4.6, 1.9
3-SF	Carolyn Jones	5'8, 14.5, 4.4, 1.7
4-PF	Linda Godby	6'5, 11.4, 4.8, 0.4
5-C	Vickie Orr	6'3, 15.9, 8.6, 0.4
Pos	Bench	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Lynn Stevenson	5'8, 2.2, 1.4, 1.7
2-SG	Chantel Tremitiere	5'6, 1.9, 1.7, 1.6
3-SF	Evelyn Thompson	5'9, 4.8, 2.0, 1.1
4-PF	Jocelyn McGilberry	6'0, 7.6, 6.3, 0.6
5-C	Kendall Mago	6'4, 3.3, 3.5, 0.3
Pos	Rutgers 1988	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Janet Malouf	5'6, 6.4, 2.6, 5.9
2-SG	Telicher Austin	5'9, 13.5, 3.9, 3.6
3-SF	Sue Wicks	6'3, 25.6, 12.1, 2.6
4-PF	Vicky Picott	6'0, 11.4, 7.8, 1.3
5-C	Michelle Lender	6'2, 12.2, 5.2, 1.3
Pos	Bench	Ht, Pts, Reb, Ast
1-PG	Glorisa Catala	5'6, 3.3, 0.9, 1.0
2-SG	Jill Shildt	5'9, 3.7, 2.2, 1.8
3-SF	Suzanne Cooper	5'9, 2.8, 1.5, 1.0
4-PF	Lynn Ust	5'11, 5.2, 2.8, 1.6
5-C	Wendy Porter	6'1, 2.1, 2.3, 0.4