Throwback Tuesdays: Nov. 27, 1993
11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2009
On Nov. 27, 1993, the No. 19 Crimson Tide faced off against the Iowa State Cyclones in the championship game of the Iowa State Cyclone Classic. Alabama was coming off an 82-62 victory over Eastern Washington the day before, and the offense was on fire once again as the Tide took down the Cyclones 99-57 on their home floor to claim the tournament title. It was the first of ten games that season in which Alabama would score over 90 points.
Iowa State's defense simply had no answer for the Tide offense. Alabama shot an impressive 50.7 percent from the floor and scored 24 points from the free throw line. Betsy Harris led the offensive onslaught with 17 points on her way to being named MVP of the tournament. The Tide racked up 25 assists on 34 made field goals. The fast-paced tempo was problematic at times for Alabama, as the team committed 21 turnovers on the day. However, the Tide was able to record 19 steals and force a total of 32 Cyclone turnovers. Iowa State only connected on 17 field goals the entire game, including coming up empty on all eight attempts from beyond the arc. Alabama also held a slight edge in rebounding (43-39), getting seven a piece from All-Tournament honoree Yolanda Watkins and Sharrona Alexander.
The 1993-94 season was an historic one for the Tide, as Rick Moody guided his team to a 26-7 record and an appearance in the school's first ever NCAA Tournament Final Four. The 26 wins set a school record for most wins in a single season, which still stands today. Alabama won its First Round game 96-86 over Oregon State in Coleman Coliseum, then picked up an 84-78 win at Iowa in the Second Round. The Tide then traveled to Austin, Texas for the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, downing Texas Tech 73-68 and Penn State 96-82 to advance to the Final Four in Richmond, Va. Alabama faced off against national powerhouse Louisiana Tech in the Final Four, with the Lady Techsters pulling out a 69-66 victory.
