Alabama Women?s Basketball Cruises in Exhibition Opener
10/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA ?? The University of Alabama women’s basketball team got its season underway with an 81-50 exhibition game victory over instate rival West Alabama in Coleman Coliseum. The Tide, with a roster that includes seven newcomers to the program from last season, used an early run to build a 15-point halftime lead and extended it to lead by as many as 35 in the second half.
“I think all of you probably saw some positive things, but there are still a lot of things we need to work on,” said Alabama head coach Stephany Smith. “All-in-all I think we made forward progress, having seven rookies on a team and having had only 15 practices. We have an awful lot to work on, especially on the defensive end, before we are ready to open the season.”
As the score indicated, Alabama dominated nearly every statistical category. The Tide shot 60.7 percent from the field to West Alabama’s 35.2 percent and outrebounded the Tigers, 42-25. Alabama sank 10 three-pointers and tallied 12 steals on the night.
It marked the second time in as many years that the Tide opened its preseason with a win over the same school. Alabama beat the Tigers, 69-46, in the exhibition opener on Nov. 5, 2005, in Smith’s first appearance on the sidelines in Tuscaloosa.
With all seven newcomers playing significant minutes in the game, it was a senior returnee who led the Tide offensively. Kate Mastin knocked down five treys en route to a game-high 22 points to go with a pair of assists. The Boaz native went 8-of-10 from the field in the game.
Preseason second team All-SEC honoree Navonda Moore added 15 points and four steals for the Tide. True freshman Alyson Butler drained four of her eight three-point attempts and finished with 13 points.
Fellow freshmen Nikki Davis dished seven assists against just three turnovers from the point guard position, while center Talisha Chandler had eight points, six assists, four blocks and five steals while making her intercollegiate debut.
“I think everybody, including our newcomers, had positive moments,” said Smith. “All seven did some good things. But at the same time, I think all seven have very specific things that they need to address and they need to get better at.”
The Tide welcomes Delta State to Coleman Coliseum on Sunday, Nov. 2, in the team’s final exhibition game of the 2006-07 campaign. The season officially gets underway on Friday, Nov. 10, with a contest against instate rival Samford in a 5 p.m. game.
