Alabama
University of Arkansas
Alabama Women’s Basketball set for Sunday Matchup with Arkansas
1/14/2017 10:27:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Crimson Tide and Razorbacks to tip at 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team (14-3, 2-2 SEC) returns to the hardwood on Sunday when it hosts the Arkansas Razorbacks (11-6, 0-4 SEC) at 4 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum. The game is slated for a 4 p.m. CT start on SEC Network.
PROMOTIONS
Giveaway: 500 Alabama women's basketball headbands
Callie's Place Pet Food Drive: For the next two home games, Alabama women's basketball will be collecting pet food for Callie's Place, a 501(c)(3) animal welfare organization set out to improve the lives of pets and people in West Alabama with an emphasis on giving un-nurtured, unloved animals a second, real chance. The goal is to raise 1,000 pounds of food.
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night: Free Admission for all Alabama faculty and staff.
8 Hoo's Q 30 for 30: If the team scores 30 points in the first quarter of the game, everyone in the stands will receive 30 percent off from Hoo's Q.
Tuscaloosa Toyota Season Long Giveaways: Throughout the season, Tuscaloosa Toyota will be giving away prizes such as an iPad Pro 9.7", Beats headphones, $50 iTunes gift cards, $50 American Express gift cards and 43" LCD televisions.
THE BROADCAST
Sunday's game will air on SEC Network with Tiffany Greene on play-by-play and Katie Smith as the analyst. The game will also be available via the Crimson Tide Sports Network on 100.1 FM locally, with Roger Hoover and Tyler Williams calling all the action. Fans will be able to follow along with live scoring on RollTide.com and game updates will be available on Twitter at @AlabamaWBB.
OPENING TIP
Alabama continues its three-game homestand on Sunday when it welcomes the Arkansas Razorbacks to town. The Crimson Tide will close out its run at home against No. 4/4 Mississippi State on Thursday, Jan. 19.
Last time out, Alabama dropped a 71-54 decision to Kentucky. Sophomore Shaquera Wade scored a career-high 24 points, hitting 11 of her 13 attempts from the floor. She was also 2-for-2 from the free throw line while picking up six rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Junior Meoshonti Knight leads three in double figures with 13.2 points per game. She is followed by sophomore Shaquera Wade (12.1 ppg) and junior Hannah Cook (12.1 ppg). Wade averages a team-best 6.8 boards per game, while freshman Jordan Lewis has dished out a team-high 4.6 assists per contest.
Alabama ranks second in the nation in free throw attempts with 423. In addition, the Tide stands at No. 9 nationally in rebounds per game with an average of 45.24 boards per contest. The last time Alabama averaged over 45 rebounds for the season was in 1996-97 (48.5 rpg).
ALABAMA FRESHMEN TAKE HOME FOUR SEC FoW HONORS
Alabama has won four Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors already this season, which is just two shy than it has won in its program history overall heading into the year. Point guard Jordan Lewis picked up the league honors on Nov. 15, Dec. 27, and most recently on Jan. 10, making her the only freshman in program history to earn weekly honors three times. Ashley Knight has also been recognized, earning her award on Dec. 20.
MEO KNIGHT POURS IN 29 TO LEAD ALABAMA OVER OLE MISS
Junior Meoshonti Knight scored a career-high 29 points in the win over Ole Miss on Thursday, Jan. 5. Her 29 points were the most scored by an Alabama player since Ashley Williams scored the same amount against Alabama A&M on Nov. 26, 2014.
SHOT-BLOCKING SENSATION
Freshman Ashley Knight has been stellar thus far defensively in the paint. She already has 42 blocks on the season, for an average of 2.5 rejections per game. Her 2.5 block average ranks the Austin, Texas native first in the Southeastern Conference and 23rd nationally, while her 42 overall blocks is 15th in the country. Knight is also seventh on the Alabama single season top 10 list and is 36 away from the Tide's career top 10 list.
WATCHING WADE
Shaquera Wade's production all over the court has nearly doubled in every category from a season ago. The sophomore is averaging 12.1 points, a team-high 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists. As a freshman, she finished with averages of 6.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 assists. Wade also has three double-doubles this season, the most of anyone on the team.
LEADING LEWIS
Freshman Jordan Lewis has started every game at the point guard position for Alabama and has shown poise and confidence running the offense beyond her years. She is currently averaging a team-best 4.6 assists per game, ranking her third in the Southeastern Conference behind a pair of seniors. Lewis has also scored double-digit points nine times and led the team in steals four times and rebounding three times.
WILLIAMS CLOSING IN ON 1,000
Junior Ashley Williams is 86 points away from becoming Alabama's 25th 1,000 point scorer in program history. Should she reach that number this season, she would be only the 13th Crimson Tide student-athlete to reach the milestone in three years or less.
ABOUT ARKANSAS
Arkansas enters Sunday's game with an 11-6 overall record and a 0-4 mark in Southeastern Conference Play. The Razorbacks are 1-3 in road contests this season.
Three of Arkansas' four losses against league opponents were by nine points or fewer, including a 59-51 loss to Ole Miss, 59-51 loss to No. 4 Mississippi State and a 53-52 loss to LSU.
The Razorbacks are led by senior Jessica Jackson, who averages a team-high 15.8 points per game to go with a team-best 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Arkansas is under the direction of third-year head coach Jimmy Dykes. In his first season with the Razorbacks, Dykes' squad advanced to the NCAA tournament and picked up a win in the opening round against Northwestern. He enters today's contest with a 41-38 overall record and a 13-24 mark the SEC.
