Tide Offense Misfires in Loss to South Carolina
1/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sunday, January 22, 2006
BOX SCORE
TUSCALOOSA ?? In an afternoon where seemingly nothing went right on the offensive end, it was the lapses on the defensive end that cost Alabama most dearly in a 68-47 loss to South Carolina in Coleman Coliseum this afternoon.
Alabama (8-10, 2-3) opened up slowly for the first time at home in SEC play against the Gamecocks (10-7, 1-4) and were never able to establish any type of momentum. The offensive doldrums were most evident in the opening half, as the Tide failed to score a field goal for the first 10 minutes of the half.
"We weren't able to get anything going at all," Alabama head coach Stephany Smith said. "It was just a very disappointing afternoon, because I felt like our team didn't show up as ready to play as we needed to."
Harriet Barnes broke the drought with a layup at the 9:58 mark, but baskets were too few and far between as the Tide offense sputtered into the break. Alabama shot just 19.2 percent from the field and went 1-for-8 from the 3-point line in the opening stanza.
Thankfully for the Tide, however, its defense held up to the challenge, holding the Gamecocks to 31.3 percent shooting while forcing 12 South Carolina turnovers in the first 20 minutes. Despite the Alabama offensive woes, the Tide were down just three, 22-19, at the break.
It was a tough opening 20 minutes for both teams, as the squads shot a combined 25.8 percent and scored a total of 41 points at the break.
Unfortunately for Alabama, though, the Gamecocks found the answer to the slow start in the lockerroom and came out firing in the second half. South Carolina hit on its first 10 field goal attempts after the break, opening up a 15-point lead halfway through the second stanza.
Meanwhile, Alabama continued to struggle on the offensive end. The Tide shot just 28.3 percent from the field in the game and went 1-of-11 (9.1 percent) from behind the arc.
Alabama was unable to take advantage of its strengths in the game, as the Tide was outrebounded for just the fifth time this season. South Carolina tallied 42 boards as a team while the Tide collected 31.
The only positive for the Tide on the offensive end was its ability to get to the free-throw line. Alabama shot 37 free throws in the game, the second-highest total of the season for the team. Even there, however, the Tide was cold, hitting on just 21 of its 37 attempts for a 56.8 team percentage from the charity stripe.
Navonda Moore led the way for Alabama on the offensive end, scoring nine points on the afternoon. Moore shot 14 free throws in the contest, making nine, while tallying three steals, a team high.
It was the first time this season that no Alabama player managed to reach double figures in the scoring column.
Barnes led the team on the boards, grabbing seven. Lauren Hill and Moore each added four rebounds for the Tide.
Alabama will embark on a two-game road stretch for the week of Jan. 23. The Tide will travel to instate rival Auburn, a team Alabama defeated at home earlier this season, on Thursday, Jan. 26. Alabama will face top-ranked Tennessee next Sunday, Jan. 29, in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Alabama-Auburn game will tip at 8 p.m. and will be televised by Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast.
