Women's Basketball Travels to Southeastern Louisiana
1/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2009
ALABAMA (11-3) at SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (7-4)
Saturday, January 3
Tipoff: 3:00 p.m. (CST)
TV: None
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network
Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana:
The Crimson Tide and Lady Lions are facing off for the seventh time in program history. Alabama leads the series at 4-2 and has won the past four meetings. In its two attempts, the Tide has never beaten Southeastern Louisiana on its home court. The last time the two teams met was last season in Tuscaloosa where Alabama won 61-51 on Jan. 5, 2008. Below is a complete listing of all six meetings and the outcomes.
| Jan. 5, 2008 | Alabama 61, Southeastern Louisiana 51
| Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| Nov. 19, 2006
| Alabama 60, Southeastern Louisiana 57
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Dec. 10, 2005
| Alabama 59, Southeastern Louisiana 54
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Feb. 26, 1991
| Alabama 77, Southeastern Louisiana 57
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Jan. 2, 1990
| Southeastern Louisiana 62, Alabama 61
| Hammond, La.
|
| Jan. 4, 1981
| Southeastern Louisiana 66, Alabama 65
| Hammond, La.
|
The Lady Lions enter today's game with a 7-4 record. Southeastern Louisiana has won its last two contests, both coming at home. The Lady Lions took down Savannah State 73-60 and beat Alcorn State 74-40. Its losses this season came at Houston, at New Orleans, at Ole Miss and at LSU. As of yet, Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana have faced one common opponent in Centenary. The Tide beat Centenary 64-55 in its season opener, and the Lady Lions took down the Ladies 78-52 on the road.
Leading Southeastern Louisiana in scoring is senior forward Kristy Carlin who averages 14.4 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounds per outing with 8.8 a game. The Lady Lions top ball distributor is freshman guard Kelli Jenkins with an average of 3.0 assists per contest.
Alabama and the Southland Conference:
Today's contest is the 24th between Alabama and Southland Conference institutions and the second of the season. On Dec. 7 the Crimson Tide handed Sam Houston State a 90-50 defeat to give Alabama an overall series lead of 19-4. The Tide is currently on an eight-game winning streak against Southland opponents. Below is a complete listing of the outcomes in Alabama's contests versus the Southland Conference.
| Dec. 7, 2008
| Alabama 90, Sam Houston State 50
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Jan. 5, 2008
| Alabama 61, Southeastern Louisiana 51
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Nov. 19, 2006
| Alabama 60, Southeastern Louisiana 57
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Dec. 10, 2005
| Alabama 59, Southeastern Louisiana 54
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Dec. 5, 2003
| Alabama 76, UT-San Antonio 63
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Nov. 30, 2002
| Alabama 69, Stephen F. Austin 56
| San Antonio, Texas
|
| Nov. 29, 2002
| Alabama 61, UT-San Antonio 56
| San Antonio, Texas
|
| Jan. 20, 1998
| Alabama 74, Northwestern State 68
| Natchitoches, La.
|
| Dec. 17, 1997
| Stephen F. Austin 89, Alabama 87
| Las Cruces, N.M.
|
| Jan. 16, 1996
| Alabama 75, Northwestern State 69
| Natchitoches, La.
|
| Dec. 10, 1994
| Alabama 99, UT-Arlington 62
| Arlington, Texas
|
| Dec. 9, 1994
| Alabama 102, Lamar 50
| Arlington, Texas
|
| Feb. 26, 1991
| Alabama 77, Southeastern Louisiana 57
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Dec. 20, 1990
| Lamar 72, Alabama 62
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Jan. 2, 1990
| Southeastern Louisiana 62, Alabama 61
| Hammond, La.
|
| Nov. 29, 1989
| Alabama 71, Lamar 64
| Beaumont, Texas
|
| Dec. 2, 1988
| Alabama 82, McNeese State 54
| Hattiesburg, Miss.
|
| Jan. 2, 1987
| Alabama 94, Northwestern State 92
| Reno, Nev.
|
| Dec. 6, 1986
| Alabama 75, Stephen F. Austin 68
| Nacadoches, Texas
|
| Dec. 5, 1986
| Alabama 77, UT-San Antonio 72
| Nacadoches, Texas
|
| Jan. 4, 1986
| Alabama 88, Stephen F. Austin 36
| Tuscaloosa, Ala.
|
| Dec. 10, 1982
| Alabama 74, Northwestern State 67
| Ruston, La.
|
| Jan. 4, 1981
| Southeastern Louisiana 66, Alabama 65
| Hammond, La.
|
Junior Dedrea Magee has played some of her best basketball late in games for the Tide this season. She scored 14 points off the bench to lead Alabama over Belmont to advance to the championship game of the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic. Magee tacked on the Tide's final eight points and made 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute to help secure the win. In the championship contest against Ball State, she tacked on 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Magee was stellar at the line once again where she connected for 7-of-9 from the charity stripe. At the conclusion of the tournament she was voted MVP by participating coaches.
Last Time Out:
Alabama defeated Ball State 81-75 in the championship game of the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum. Four Tide players scored in double-digits, led by sophomore forward Tierney Jenkins with a season high 23 points. Jenkins led all scorers with 23 points and pulled down 10 boards, marking the second double-double of the season for her. Sophomore guard Alyson Butler and Magee both scored 13 for the Tide, while sophomore guard Varisia Raffington contributed 10 points. Junior forward Danielle Gratton led Ball State with 18 points and eight rebounds. Alabama shot 47 from the field while shooting 54 percent from behind the arc. Sophomore guard Alyson Butler made 3-of-4 from the three-point line The Tide bench outscored Ball State's reserves 52-12.
Alabama Captures 600th win:
Alabama won its 600th victory in program history on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 when it beat Ball State in the championship game of the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic 81-75 in Coleman Coliseum. The Tide's overall record currently stands at 600-415 for an overall winning percentage of 59.1.
Alabama Places Two on Crimson Tide Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team:
Junior Dedrea Magee and sophomore Tierney Jenkins were both voted to the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team selected by participating coaches. Magee took home Tournament MVP honors after scoring 27 points and adding 12 rebounds and five assists over the two games. For the tournament, Jenkins notched 31 points, including a season-best 23 in the championship game, as well as 17 rebounds and seven steals.
The Tide is Turning:
After winning just eight games last season, the Tide has already collected 11 victories in just 14 attempts this season. With its 11 wins, Alabama is tied for second for best turnaround from last season to this season. Below is the top 10 turnaround teams thus far.
| INSTITUTION
| INCREASE IN WINS
| 2007-08 WINS TO 2008-09 WINS
|
| 1. Fordham
| 7
| 0 to 7
|
| T2. Alabama
| 3
| 8 to 11
|
| T2. Hofstra
| 3
| 5 to 8
|
| T4. Cal State Northridge
| 2
| 1 to 3
|
| T4. Central Connecticut State
| 2
| 4 to 6
|
| T4. Central Michigan
| 2
| 6 to 8
|
| T4. Colgate
| 2
| 1 to 3
|
| T4. Mercer
| 2
| 4 to 6
|
| T4. Washington State
| 2
| 5 to 7
|
| T10. Delaware
| 1
| 7 to 8
|
| T10. Eastern Washington
| 1
| 4 to 5
|
| T10. Kent State
| 1
| 9 to 10
|
| T10. Sam Houston State
| 1
| 1 to 2
|
With a win against Ball State, the Tide is off to its best start since the 2000-2001 season when it went 12-2. In addition, Alabama is currently on a five-game winning streak. The last time the Tide won five games or more in a row was between Nov. 22, 2002 to Dec. 7, 2002 when Alabama captured six consecutive victories.
Rejected:
Alabama is averaging 5.5 blocks per game ranking it second in the SEC. The Tide's season-high came against Austin Peay on Dec. 20 when Alabama recorded 10 rejections. All but one player on the team has tallied at least a single block with junior Courtney Strauthers leading the way with 16.
Butler and Russell from Downtown:
Sophomore Alyson Butler is the Tide's top three-point threat where she averages 32.5 percent from beyond the arc. Of her 109 shot attempts this season, 83 of them were from three-point range good for 76.1 percent. She has hit 27 treys thus far. Freshman Ericka Russell has taken 64.9 percent of her shots (74-114) from three-point range this season. She has the second most three-pointers made thus far with 22 and averages 29.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Equal Opportunity Scorers:
In Alabama's 14 games, four different players have led the Tide in scoring. Sophomore Tierney Jenkins has been Alabama's leading scorer seven times, while freshman Ericka Russell has topped the Tide three times. Sophomore Alyson Butler had led the way twice. Sophomore Katie Hancock and junior Dedrea Magee have each led in point production once.
Strauthers Hitting Better than .500 for Career:
Junior Courtney Strauthers is currently averaging 52.5 percent from the floor for her career. She finished her freshman season at 51.3 percent followed by her sophomore year at 56.8 percent. She is 36-76 on the season thus far for a 47.4 clip.
Variety is the Spice of Life:
A total of 14 players have seen court time in Alabama's games this season. Ten of those 14 players are averaging 10 minutes or more. Sophomore Alyson Butler leads the way with 23.1 minutes per outing.
'Bama on the Boards:
The Tide has been dominant on the boards out-rebounding its opponents by an average of 5.9 per game while collecting a total of 46.7 per contest. Alabama pulled down 50 rebounds or more in eight of 14 games this season, including a high of 60 against Sam Houston State on Dec. 7.
I'll Take my Bench over your Bench:
Alabama's bench scoring has accounted for an average of 37.0 points per game this season and 518 points overall. That is over half of the Tide's total point output thus far. Below is a list of how many points the bench has produced in each game:
| Nov. 14, 2008
| vs. Centenary
| 28 points
|
| Nov. 18, 2008
| vs. Samford
| 24 points
|
| Nov. 22, 2008
| at Hampton
| 35 points
|
| Nov. 25, 2008
| vs. Alabama State
| 52 points
|
| Nov. 28, 2008
| vs. Louisville
| 43 points
|
| Nov. 29, 2008
| vs. Northern Iowa
| 38 points
|
| Dec. 3, 2008
| vs. UCF
| 36 points
|
| Dec. 7, 2008
| vs. Sam Houston State
| 46 points
|
| Dec. 14, 2008
| at MTSU
| 37 points
|
| Dec. 17, 2008
| vs. Florida A&M
| 33 points
|
| Dec. 20, 2008
| vs. Austin Peay
| 28 points
|
| Dec. 22, 2008
| vs. Alabama A&M
| 38 points
|
| Dec. 29, 2008
| vs. Belmont
| 28 points
|
| Dec. 30, 2008
| vs. Ball State
| 52 points
|
60 is the Magic Number:
In two of Alabama's three losses, the Tide has failed to reach the 60-point mark, but in 10 of its 11 wins has eclipsed that mark. Alabama is currently averaging 69.1 points per game. The last time the Tide averaged this many, or more, points a game was in the 2001-02 season when it collected 73.7 points per outing. Ironically, that was the last season Alabama finished above .500.
Lucky Number 13:
Junior Courtney Strauthers collected a career-high 13 points in Alabama's win over UCF on Dec. 3. That same night, sophomore Daleisha Carn pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds. In the Tide's next game against Sam Houston State, Carn dished out a career-high 13 assists. Carn then collected a season-high 13 points at Middle Tennessee State on Dec. 14.
Ericka Russell Voted to the Nugget Classic All-Tournament Team:
Alabama freshman Ericka Russell was one of six players named to the Nugget Classic All-Tournament Team. The squad was voted on by the four participating coaches. She finished the two-game Classic with 24 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Tide Welcomes Six Newcomers:
A total of six new players will dawn the crimson and white this season for the women's basketball team. Carmen McCoy, Kayla Robinson, Ericka Russell and Candace Sykes all signed on nearly one year ago, while Danielle Hicks and Candiss Willingham were added as walk-ons.
Fresh Faces on the Sidelines:
Wendell Hudson returns to the sidelines after spending the last six years in administration to head up the Alabama women's basketball team. Hudson, who possesses 26 years of basketball coaching experience, is no stranger to Alabama as he was the first African-American scholarship athlete at the Capstone while playing under C.M. Newton. Joining him will be former Tide standouts Joni Crenshaw and Stacey Franklin along with Ty Evans, who enters his second season as a member of the Alabama staff.
Next up:
Alabama opens conference play on Jan. 8 when it hosts No. 19/20 Vanderbilt at Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (CST).
