Alabama
Kentucky
Women's Basketball Falls to Kentucky 67-57
1/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama women's basketball team dropped a close contest to Kentucky 67-57 at Coleman Coliseum Thursday night. Both teams move to 12-6 on the season, but the Crimson Tide dips to 0-3 in the SEC while the Wildcats improve to 2-1 overall.
"The purpose that we played with the last two or three minutes of the game is how we have to learn to play the entire basketball game," said head coach Wendell Hudson. "I told the team after the game that the effort was there; we're playing hard. We just have to play a little smarter and believe that our shots are going to go in, that we're going to step up and make that play. It's not the physical part of it, it's the mental part, but they're working hard and making progress in that direction. We've talked about from the beginning how this is a process, a rebuilding process, and we continue to work on that progress."
Sophomore guard Varisia Raffington led all Alabama scorers with 15 while also pulling down five boards. Sophomore forward Tierney Jenkins posted her third double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Kentucky was led by senior Eleia Roddy and sophomore Carly Morrow, both with 19 points.
Kentucky scored the first six points of the game before junior forward Courtney Strauthers drained a jumper at the 16 minute mark. The game remained close early with a Jenkins jumper getting Alabama within one point at 10-9. Freshman forward Kayla Robinson followed with a jumper of her own to give the Tide its first lead of the game. Raffington connected on a jump shot to tie the contest at 24-24 with a little over four minutes remaining in the first half. The Wildcats scored the next six points to go up by six at 30-24. Raffington buried a three pointer with less than ten seconds less to get the Tide within three, 30-27, at the break.
Alabama and Kentucky continued to trade baskets once the second half got underway. Jenkins made a layup 30 seconds in which Kentucky's Roddy answered on the next play. Freshman guard Ericka Russell connected on two of three free throws to tie the score at 35-35 with 16 minutes remaining. The Wildcats began to pull away, scoring the next seven points. The Tide battled back, and a jumper by Raffington cut the Kentucky lead to two at 50-48. The Wildcats then scored the next ten points to steal the momentum from Alabama. Two free throws by Kentucky's Morrow sealed the Wildcats the ten-point win.
"We played hard and had an opportunity," Hudson added. "It's just a matter of getting over the hump. Winning is contagious, but also when you start losing it can affect your confidence. If you don't think that you can get it done then you're not necessarily going to get it done. We've got to start thinking from the beginning that we can win."
For the game, the Tide shot 33 percent from the field while shooting 70 percent from the free-throw line. Kentucky shot 37 percent for the game. Alabama won the battle inside, scoring 28 points in the paint to the Wildcats' 14.
Next up, Alabama travels to Oxford to face Ole Miss on Sunday, January 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (CST).
Alabama Head Coach Wendell Hudson
On the game and Kentucky making big shots:
"It's all about when you get points, and good players get points at important times. What we have to learn how to do is make those baskets at important times also. The purpose that we played with the last two or three minutes of the game is how we have to learn to play the entire basketball game. I told the team after the game that the effort was there; we're playing hard. We just have to play a little smarter and believe that our shots are going to go in, that we're going to step up and make that play. It's not the physical part of it, it's the mental part, but they're working hard and making progress in that direction. We've talked about from the beginning how this is a process, a rebuilding process, and we continue to work on that progress."
On getting more shot opportunities than Kentucky:
"We had a lot of shots under the basket, layups, shots that I know this team can make. When you don't make them you get discouraged. We would have three or four opportunities; shot, offensive rebound, put it up, rebound, shoot it again; and the ball kept spinning out on us."
On 2-21 three-point shooting and its importance:
"The three point shot is such a game-changer. When you don't have that you have to figure out how to manufacture points in other ways, and we don't have that yet. We haven't gotten to that point yet because the three-point shooting has been so good to us."
On Kentucky's 25-30 performance at the free throw line:
"They're a good team. Good teams play well, shoot the ball well. I'm still proud of this basketball team. We played hard and had an opportunity. It's just a matter of getting over the hump. Winning is contagious, but also when you start losing it can affect your confidence. If you don't think that you can get it done then you're not necessarily going to get it done. We've got to start thinking from the beginning that we can win."
On Tierney Jenkins and Varisia Raffington's play:
"We had some good things happen. Tierney played well. I thought that Varisia played really well in this basketball game as well as some other people. We played hard. The thing about basketball is, and I think you hit on it, when Kentucky needed a basket, they got a basket. We made some runs at them, they got a basket, and when we needed a basket, we couldn't get one even though sometimes we shot it three or four times before the possession was over."
Alabama Sophomore Guard Varisia Raffington
On taking shots and they weren't falling:
"Shots just weren't falling for us. A couple of us were getting discouraged to shoot, but Coach kept telling us to keep shooting if it's in our game. You have tough games, but you never know if you should stop shooting."
On closing the gap on Kentucky but them having an answer for it every time:
"We've got to get better with just fighting. We tried to do it in the last minute or so, but we need to start playing for 40 minutes like we did in the last minute of the game."
On taking the initiative to score:
"I know in practice my teammates get tired from guarding me because I just run all over the place. I knew if I get in some gaps, get some screens then I'd be able to get open because the defender would be tired or back off a little bit."
On how they will get there first SEC win of the year:
"It's going to have to be a game where we all play together. We had little breakdowns here and there, and we just start to get down on ourselves. We'll get those spurts where we get up, but the other team is up the whole time so it's hard to fight back and forth."
Alabama Sophomore Forward Tierney Jenkins
On the attitude of the team this year:
"I think the biggest thing is we're having close losses, so we need to keep our heads up. I think we're showing we can compete and it's not ok to lose. We're not saying well we competed, so that's alright because it's not ok to lose in any of our eyes. We've just got to get over that little hump at the end."
On if lack of experience is causing these close loss games:
"We really haven't been in this situation before. Even the seniors, they were never close to any team. I'm not saying we don't have experience so that's why we're losing. I still think we should still compete and get over the hump. It's something that will come in time and we're going to need to grow and learn from it together."
Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
Opening Statement:
"I'm absolutely thrilled to get this win tonight because the intensity that Alabama plays with defensively and the toughness they play with killed us on offensive boards tonight. I'm really disappointed in that aspect of the game, because that gave them a chance, but at the same time you have to give them credit for that because they were just really all over the boards. I was concerned with coming on the road, and we're the kind of team that needs to play well on the road in this league to have success. I didn't think we played particularly well in some stretches, so to be able to come away with a win on a night like tonight is terrific."
On defensive strategy of Alabama's Ericka Russell:
"Ericka Russell absolutely lit up Vanderbilt in this building, and we talked about it many times, talked about it all day today, because we were trying to get ready for their personnel and knowing what each player does. She had some good looks and just missed tonight, but we were just trying to guard her as close as we could because she is such a good player."
On answering Alabama comebacks:
"I really have to credit our players with keeping their composure because this was not one of our prettier games tonight. Things weren't flowing, and I give Alabama credit for that because they were so tough defensively. I really give our players credit for standing strong every time Alabama came at us, we were able to turn them away."
On success rebounding down the stretch:
"I don't think there's any doubt that won us the game. Alabama is so good and so athletic, when they get it in there close and miss and you're able to clean it up and it's just a six point game and we're able to bring it back down and make it a eight point game, go back down, get another rebound and then stretch it out to 10 and get into a free throw shooting deal. We've been doing well closing the game out in those situations."
