Alabama
9-1
Georgia Tech
9-2
Alabama Women’s Basketball Comes Back to Beat Georgia Tech, 67-65
12/17/2016 5:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Crimson Tide trailed 20-7 after the first quarter but outscored Yellow Jackets in the second and fourth
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team overcame a 13-point deficit at the end of the first quarter to earn a 67-65 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide stands at 9-1 overall with the victory, while the loss drops the Yellow Jackets to 9-2 on the season.
"It's just a really good win today against a team that has had some really good wins," said Alabama head coach Kristy Curry. "I thought our team really handled some adversity early. We started out shooting 1-for-17, and we just kind of stayed the course and made enough plays on both ends. I just thought that it showed a lot of character by our kids, and it's a really good win. I'm happy for them."
Junior Hannah Cook led all scorers in the game with 19 points, while sophomore Shaquera Wade had her second career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. She also added two assists, two steals and two blocks. Another key cog in Alabama's victory was freshman Jordan Lewis, who finished with a season-high eight assists, compared to only four turnovers, while running the point for 36 minutes. Georgia Tech was paced by junior Zaire O'Neil's 17 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Alabama led early in the first thanks to four points from Lewis, but the Tide would only score three additional points, all of which came from the free throw line, in the quarter.
Alabama bounced back in the second, scoring 22 points while giving up just nine. The Tide took the lead back at the 1:29 mark of the period off a three from Wade, setting the score at 28-27. The teams would head to the locker room all even at 29.
The Yellow Jackets went on a 9-2 run over the first 2:35 of the third and would go on to lead by as many as eight in the quarter. Alabama gradually chipped away and cut it to three, 48-45, heading into the final frame.
In the fourth, the trio of Cook, Wade and junior Meoshonti Knight took over as they combined for 20 of the Tide's 22 points and eight of 11 rebounds to seal the victory. Alabama would eventually lead by seven, its largest advantage of the game, with 7:13 remaining, however Georgia Tech would respond and cut it to one point on three occasions, with the final coming with 38 seconds on the game clock. Cook then missed a three pointer, but Wade came up big on the offensive glass to get the rebound and was quickly fouled. She would make one of her two attempts at the line before the Yellow Jackets got one final attempt to either tie or win the game with a three. Freshman Francesca Pan, the team's leader in scoring, got a three off, but it was no good, giving the Tide the victory.
For the game, Alabama shot 33.8 percent (23-68), while Georgia Tech was 39.7 percent (25-63) from the floor. The Tide also outrebounded the Yellow Jackets, 48-43.
Alabama will play its final two games before breaking for the holidays at the Patrick Harrington Tournament, which is being held at Northwest Florida's Raider Arena in Niceville, Fla. The Tide will take on McNeese State on Monday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. CT and UTEP on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. CT.
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