Women's Basketball Tops St. Peter's in Championship Game
1/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The University of Alabama women's basketball team made it three for three at the St. Peter's Holiday Classic taking home the championship trophy with a hard-fought 62-57 victory over host St. Peter's on Monday night.
The Tide has now defeated the Peahens in the tournament final in all three of their visits to the event. Alabama also captured the crown in 1998 and 2000. With the win, Bama improves to 10-2 for the season while SPC slips to 4-6 this year. The victory also marked the program's 36th all-time regular season tournament title.
"The key for us tonight as our ability to make plays going to the basket," said UA head coach Rick Moody, who guided the Tide to his 27th tourney title. "I liked the fact that some of our kids got a chance to make plays in important situations. It is always nice to get a win over a good team on the road."
The home standing Peahens got out of the blocks early scoring 12 straight points over a six-minute scoreless stretch for the Tide to lead 15-5 at the 12:51 mark. Alabama kept battling and turned up the defensive intensity midway through the opening frame eventually using a 9-2 run to trim the SPC lead to just one, 21-20, with 7:47 left.
St. Peter's pushed their lead back to six points, 31-25, just minutes later as Alabama continued to shoot the ball inconsistently from the field. However, the Crimson Tide outscored SPC 10-2 over the final three minutes of the period to take a 35-33 edge at the halftime break.
The Tide continued their solid play on both ends of the floor to start the second half taking their largest lead of the game, 41-35, after five minutes of action. Jamilah Johns scored UA's first six points of the frame while SPC didn't post their first field goal until the 14:09 mark. The Peahens battled back eventually retaking the lead, 46-44, on a pair of free throws with 9:47 left in the game.
Johns again stepped up for Bama completing a three-point play to put the Tide back in front, 49-48, two minutes later. The two squads traded the lead a few times before an 8-0 run by Alabama put them up 56-50 with 2:48 remaining on the clock. SPC could get no closer than four points in the closing minutes with Alabama making enough free throws to ice the win.
Johns, who led the Tide with 19 points and six rebounds in the final game, was named the tournament's MVP. Johns scored 15 of her game total in the deciding second half. Junior point guard Manisha Redus joined her on the all-tournament squad finishing the event with 16 assists.
Beth Vice scored 13 points in the victory while Katie Sipe chipped in 6 for the Tide. St. Peter's was led with 21 points by Layla Lewis.
Alabama will have a few days off before opening the New Year with a game at Houston on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Tide's game with the Cougars marks the final regular season non-conference contest of the season. UA opens their SEC schedule on Jan. 12 at Kentucky.
Alabama (10-2) 35-27—62
St. Peter's (4-6) 33-24—57
