Alabama Women?s Basketball Travels to Tulane Saturday
12/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA ?? After winning its last three home games to extend the home win streak to six games, the longest since the 1997-98 season, the University of Alabama women’s basketball team plays its first true road game since Nov. 13 on Saturday when the Tide faces Tulane in New Orleans. The game can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with David Crane calling the action beginning at 2 p.m.
“It’s been almost a month since we played a true road game and that was in the second game of the season,” said Tide head coach Stephany Smith. “We are an entirely different basketball team from that game because of the maturation of Nikki Davis as our floor general, as well as with our team starting to develop consistency in the roles they play. I am looking forward to seeing just how much we have grown since the Arkansas State game.”
Alabama plays just the second true road game of the season when it matches up with the Green Wave in Fogleman Arena. The Tide lost its first road game of the year at Arkansas State, 73-56, in the second game of the season. Alabama won its most recent game away from Coleman Coliseum, a 19-point win over Cal State Northridge in the Hilton-Concord Invitational on Nov. 25.
The Tide comes into the game riding a four-game win streak, including three home wins in six days against Tennessee Chattanooga, Savannah State and McNeese State.
Tulane, 6-2, enters the game as winners in four of its last five. The Green Wave’s only losses this season were to No. 9 LSU and on the road against perennial top-25 team Texas Tech. Point guard Jami Montagnino sparks the Tulane offense, as she averages 14.9 points per game to lead the team.
“Tulane is a team that is 6-2 and had a lot of success against some very good teams this season,” said Smith. “They are extremely athletic and their strengths match our strengths. Montagnino, their points guard, is very impressive. She is very solid running their team, attacks the basket aggressively and gets to the foul line where she makes over 90 percent. They are a very good basketball team that will have a home-court advantage on Saturday, so we will have to play very well in order to have a chance to win.”
The game marks the ninth in the overall series, with the Tide holding a 7-1 advantage. Tulane won its first game over Alabama in 1999 after UA had won the first six. The last meeting between the two teams came on Nov. 22, 2000, a 64-63 Tide victory in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama plays its last non-conference road game on Saturday, Dec. 16, when it travels to Rustin, La., to face traditional power Louisiana Tech in a 7 p.m. contest.
