Bama Women's Basketball Falls to #5 Tennessee
1/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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» Box Score
By Chris Woodfin
TUSCALOOSA - The No. 5 ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (13-3, 2-0) proved to be too much for the University of Alabama women's basketball team (10-5, 0-2) on Thursday night as Bama fell 88-45 in their SEC home opener at Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama trailed early 25-7 just a little over nine minutes into the game, but the Tide rallied back with an 8-2 run to close to within 12 with just over six minutes to play.
The Tide shot a better field goal percentage than Tennessee in the first half. However, the Lady Vols carried a 38-26 lead into the locker room on the strength of 11 for 16 free throw shooting compared to Alabama's two of three from the charity stripe.
Tennessee pulled away quickly in the second half outscoring the Tide 29-7 over the first 10:58 of the half en route to their double-digit victory.
For the game, Alabama held the high-octane Lady Vols offense to 43 percent shooting, and UT benefited from a 37-13 edge from the free throw line. Tennessee also out-boarded Bama, 51-41, including 18 offensive boards.
Alabama was led by senior center Jamilah Johns, who grabbed a game high 12 boards to go along with her eight points. Beth Vice was Alabama's leading scorer with 13 points including a pair of three-pointers. Vice's trifectas extended her consecutive games with a three-pointer streak to 30 games.
Shun Hunter also scored ten points and collected six rebounds for Alabama.
Gwen Jackson led five UT players in double figures with 18 points. Kara Lawson finished with 16 followed by 14 from Shyra Ely, 13 by Shanna Zolman and 11 from Ashley Robinson.
Alabama head coach Rick Moody was pleased with his team's first half performance.
"We competed in the first half," Moody said. "We did things we were supposed to do. The second half we just couldn't score."
The Crimson Tide returns to the road for their next game as Alabama visits in-state rival Auburn on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. UA's next home game is Thursday, Jan. 23 against the Georgia Lady Bulldogs.
Alabama (10-5, 0-2) 26-19-45
Tennessee (13-3, 2-0) 38-50-88
