Alabama Women's Basketball Pounds Vanderbilt, 81-68
2/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Monique Bivins scored 23 points and Kate Mastin added 18 as the University of Alabama women's basketball team picked up their first win in 24 days, thumping the Vanderbilt Commodores, 81-68, on Sunday afternoon at Coleman Coliseum.
The win broke the Tide's six-game losing streak, the longest in school history. Alabama's last victory came on Jan. 15 against the Ole Miss Rebels. The Tide evens their record at 11-11 overall and 3-6 in conference play. Vanderbilt drops to 16-6 overall and 4-5 in the SEC.
Alabama led by as many as eight points early in the contest, cashing in on a combination of strong defense and scrappy play on the glass. The Commodores eventually found their rhythm as the half progressed, shooting 61.1 percent from the field by the close of the opening period. But Bama held their own defensively, forcing 16 Vanderbilt turnovers, and claiming a 36-34 halftime lead. The lead at the break was the first for the Tide since one month ago at Middle Tennessee State.
"We said we were not going to come out here today and play the same way that we have been playing," Alabama head coach Rick Moody said. "We were going to come out here and make this game a nightmare for Vanderbilt. We're going to let the hammer down and get after them."
Alabama's shooters found their stroke early in the second period, opening play with a 20-2 run. The Tide nailed four three-point shots during the run, and Bivins accounted for 11 of the 20 points scored during the stretch.
The Commodores narrowed the Tide lead to six points with 2:34 remaining, taking advantage of a Bama cold spell late in the half. But once again, Bivins stepped up for the Tide, scoring six points in the final 1:41 to seal the deal for the Tide.
In addition to Bivins and Mastin, two other players scored in double-digits for the Tide. Manisha Redus finished with 16 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the field, and 3 of 4 from behind the arc. Lauren Hill contributed 10 points for the Tide, shooting 4 of 9 from the field.
Mastin sparked the Tide coming off the bench, shooting 4 of 6 from the field, 3 of 3 from three-point territory, and 7 of 10 from the free-throw line.
The Tide travels to Columbia, S.C., on Thursday, Feb. 12, to in a rematch with the South Carolina Gamecocks. The game is set to tip-off at 6 p.m. CST, and can be seen locally on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast.
