Crimson Tide Welcomes Houston to Foster Auditorium on Sunday
12/7/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2013
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The women's basketball team (3-5) returns to the court on Sunday, Dec. 8, when it hosts Houston (3-5) in Foster Auditorium. The game is slated to tip off at 2 p.m. CT.
PROMOTIONS
There are several promotions taking place including Three Point Packs where fans can purchase a ticket, hot dog and a drink for $10. All Big Al's Kids Club members will receive free admission and have the opportunity to form a pregame fan tunnel on the court. In addition, the first 250 kids 12 and under in attendance will receive a free hot dog and drink. Following the game, the women's basketball team will sign autographs.
THE BROADCAST
Sunday's game can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network on Tide 99.1 FM with Mick Gillispie calling the action. Fans can also follow online via live video feed or live scoring on RollTide.com or on Twitter @AlabamaWBB.
SERIES HISTORY
Alabama and Houston are meeting for the sixth time in the series on Sunday and first in Tuscaloosa since 2004. The Crimson Tide and Cougars met in Houston last season in a game that came down to the wire and would eventually go in favor of Alabama, 83-74. The Cougars hold a 2-3 edge overall.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama moved to 3-5 after a loss to UT Martin on Wednesday. Ashley Williams led the Tide's offensive efforts with a career-high tying 18 points, and Daisha Simmons followed with 11 points, in addition to a team-best seven rebounds, two steals and one block. Bri Hutchen provided a spark off the bench, scoring eight points during a nine-minute span. For the season, Shafontaye Myers leads Alabama in scoring with a 12.1 point-per-game average. She is followed by Simmons, who contributes 11.4 ppg.
SCOUTING HOUSTON
Houston is also 3-5 on the season having lost to Washington last time out. Despite the loss, the Cougars had a few positive individual performances as Marche' Amerson went off for a career-best 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting to lead all scorers, while Te'onna Campbell collected 12 points and 10 rebounds, notching her second double-double of the season. Yasmeen Thompson also recorded her sixth career double-double, as she went for 10 points and 11 rebounds. Campbell and Anderson lead the way for the Cougars in season scoring average, chipping in 11.4 points and 11.1 points per game, respectively.
THE COACHES
Kristy Curry is in her first season as head coach on the Alabama sidelines after spending seven seasons in the same position at Texas Tech (2006-13). Prior to her stint in Lubbock, she spent seven years as head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers (1999-2006). Curry's teams have made nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the championship game in 2001, in addition to winning two Big Ten regular season titles and compiling nine 20-win seasons. She holds an overall coaching record of 312-154.
Houston is under the direction of fourth-year head coach Todd Buchanan, who, in his first season at the helm in 2010-11, helped the Cougars to a 26-6 record, marking the second-most wins in school history. Buchanan also returned Houston back to national prominence as the Cougars earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and cracked the top 25 polls for the first time since the 2004-05 season. Buchanan was named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2011 and has compiled a 45-54 mark at Houston and 144-158 record overall as a head coach.
WILLIAMS MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF
Freshman Ashley Williams, who made the first start of her career on Wednesday against UT Martin, led the Crimson Tide with a career-high tying 18 points. It was the fourth double-figure point performance for the Covington, Ga., native in eight appearances thus far. Williams is third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.3 points per game, and is second in rebounds with 4.6 boards per outing.
SIMMONS DOING A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING FOR THE TIDE
Junior point guard Daisha Simmons is No. 2 in the SEC in steals, averaging 3.0 thefts per contest and is third in minutes played at 32.6 per game. She has been the Tide's most productive all-around player, averaging 11.4 points per game and team highs of 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists to go along with her 3.0 steals.
HEGSTETTER NAMED NOMINEE FOR ALLSTATE WBCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
Sophomore forward Nikki Hegstetter was named a nominee for the 2014 Allstate Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Good Works Team.. The award recognizes a select group of college basketball student-athletes who have made significant contributions to the greater good of their communities through volunteerism and civic service. Hegstetter is one of 84 nominees from across the nation, spanning NCAA Divisions I, II, III and the NAIA. She has, and continues to be involved in several aspects of the community, including Habitat for Humanity, Alabama women's basketball's 5th Grade Fastbreak program and the Summer Food & Fun program at the McDonald Hughes Center. Hegstetter has also spent time volunteering at local high school basketball camps, elementary schools, the DCH Manderson Cancer Center and Capstone Village Retirement Community.
HEGSTETTER BECOMING MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR ALABAMA INSIDE
Sophomore forward Nikki Hegstetter continues to improve inside for Alabama, which is evident in her production. After averaging only 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game last season, Hegstetter is now the Tide's fourth-leading scorer at 8.3 points per game and has 4.3 boards per contest. She also leads Alabama in blocks with 1.3 per game and is third in assists with 1.4 per outing.
THREE-POINTERS GALORE
Alabama knocked down 11 three-point field goals on Nov. 29, at Saint Mary's, marking the first time the Crimson Tide had over 10 since Feb. 1, 2009, when it had 11 at Vanderbilt. Shafontaye Myers led the way with five of the 11, while Emily Davis and Daisha Simmons added two apiece. Khadijah Carter and Sharin Rivers chipped in one each.
MYERS EARNS All-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONORS
Senior guard Shafontaye Myers was named to the Saint Mary's College Hilton Concord All-Tournament Team after leading Alabama in scoring in both games of the tournament with 20 points against the Gaels and 15 points versus Cal State Fullerton. Myers, who comes of the bench for the Crimson Tide, is also Alabama's leader in points on the season, averaging 12.1 points per game and ranks No. 3 in the Southeastern Conference in three-point field goals made per game with an average of 2.8.
NEXT GAME
Alabama will have an eight-day gap between games for finals week and returns to the court on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for its annual 5th Grade Fastbreak game, which will be played at 11 a.m. CT against Jacksonville.
