Alabama
Belmont
Women's Basketball Tops Belmont, 64-46
12/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2010
| Alabama 64, Belmont 46 [Box Score] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Ericka Russell scored a game-high 17 points against Belmont | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Junior guard Ericka Russell scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Alabama women's basketball team (9-2) to a 64-46 win over the Belmont Bruins (4-6) on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum.
Senior forward Tierney Jenkins scored 13 points and added eight rebounds, while freshman Jasmine Robinson chipped in eight points. Freshman Kaneisha Horn, junior Alicia Mitcham and freshman Shafontaye Myers each had five points apiece for the balanced Tide scoring attack.
"One of our goals was to get 25 turnovers and we got 28, so we were plus there," Alabama head coach Wendell Hudson said. "One of the other goals was to limit the number of offensive rebounds for Belmont, and for the first 37 minutes of the game, we had that goal well in hand. The final goal was to go up and down the court in transition, and I thought in the second half we really did a good job of that. We got up and down the floor and played the way we wanted to play."
The Crimson Tide held Belmont to 34 percent shooting (16-of-47) on the day, including just 23.8 percent (5-of-21) in the first half. The 16 first-half points are the fewest Alabama has allowed an opponent all year. Additionally, the Tide defense forced 28 turnovers, turning those into 30 points.
Alabama led 29-16 at halftime and held a working margin of no fewer than 11 points throughout the second half. The Tide led 37-25 at the 15:59 juncture before embarking on an 8-0 run to seize control of the game. Alabama would expound the margin to as much as 24 following one of Russell's three three-point baskets on the day. All told, the Tide outscored the Bruins 19-7 from the 15:59 mark to the 8:56 mark of the half to take a 56-32 lead.
From there, Alabama was able to empty its bench in the final five minutes as 12 players saw action on Saturday.
"We shoot (three pointers) more quickly than other teams," Hudson said. "We'll shoot them a little further out than people will allow some of their players to shoot it from. That's the way we practice. We practice shooting them, and what that will do for you is open up your inside game. That happened when Ericka (Russell) hit a couple of threes. That is kind of the way we play, inside-outside and then outside-inside. Whatever the other team is giving you, we're not going to try to force the basketball any place. Whatever the other team is giving you, that is what you have to take."
The Tide got off to a strong start, jumping out to an 8-0 lead just 2:14 into the game. Russell opened the scoring with two technical free throws, Jenkins followed with back-to-back baskets while a Horn layup capped off the run.
The Bruins etched themselves back into the game, cutting the score to 12-8 at the 11:11 juncture before Alabama went on another 8-0 run, spanning almost six minutes of the first half, to take a 20-8 lead. The Tide would extend its margin to as much as 17 before settling on a 29-16 halftime lead.
Alabama's stingy defense held Belmont to poor shooting in the first half, including a stretch in which the Bruins missed 14 consecutive shots. Jenkins led the first-half scoring with six points while Mitcham, Horn and Myers had five points apiece.
Former Alabama standout Brittany Ezell returned to Coleman Coliseum on Saturday for the first time as head coach of the Bruins. Ezell was also an assistant coach at Alabama prior to her tenure at Belmont.
Alabama returns to the hardwood on Monday, taking on Alabama A&M at Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 11:30 a.m. CT.
