Alabama
Auburn University
Alabama Women’s Basketball Returns Home for Matchup with Auburn
1/28/2017 11:35:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Crimson Tide and Tigers will play the first of two meetings this season on Sunday at 5 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team (15-6, 3-5 SEC) returns to Coleman Coliseum after consecutive road games to host the Auburn Tigers (14-7, 4-3 SEC) on Sunday. Game time is set for 5 p.m. CT.
THE BROADCAST
Sunday's game will air live on the SEC Network with Melissa Lee and Tamika Catchings on the broadcast. The game can also be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Roger Hoover and Tyler Williams calling the action.
PROMOTIONS
- Bama Salute: All service members will receive free admission to Sunday's game
- Giveaway: 300 Bama Salute shirts
- Crimson Tide Foundation Day
- 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.
OPENING TIP
Alabama returns home to Coleman Coliseum after consecutive road games in SEC play. The Crimson Tide has lost its last three in Tuscaloosa, falling to Kentucky (54-71), Arkansas (50-68) and No. 4/4 Mississippi State (54-67). Alabama's last win in Coleman came on Jan. 5 against Ole Miss, 90-80.
Alabama has matched its win total from last year and its 15 wins over the first 20 games is the most since the 2000-01 season. The Tide also collected its second straight SEC road victory for the first time since 2011 with the win at Ole Miss on Sunday, Jan. 22.
Jordan Lewis was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season on Tuesday, which is the most by any Alabama women's basketball student-athlete in her career. Lewis scored a career-high 22 points in the Tide's win at Ole Miss while adding six rebounds, four assists and one steal. She currently averages 4.2 assists per game, which ranks her fourth in the SEC behind two seniors and a junior. Lewis is the only freshman ranked in the top 10 in the league in assists.
Freshman Ashley Knight has 55 blocks on the year, which ranks No. 1 in the SEC and 13th in the nation. She currently stands at No. 3 on Alabama's single-season top 10 list and is six away from the No. 2 spot, which is held by Tausha Mills (1997-98). Yolanda Watkins holds the Crimson Tide record at 68 blocks, which she achieved during the 1993-94 season.
ALABAMA FRESHMEN TAKE HOME FIVE SEC FoW HONORS
Alabama has won five of the 11 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors already this season, which is just one 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, Jan. 10 and most recently on Jan. 24, making her the only freshman in program history to earn weekly honors four times and the only student-athlete to accumulate four SEC weekly awards throughout her career. Ashley Knight has also been recognized, earning her award on Dec. 20.
SHOT-BLOCKING SENSATION
Freshman Ashley Knight has been stellar thus far defensively in the paint. She already has 55 blocks on the season, for an average of 2.6 rejections per game. Her 2.6 block average ranks the Austin, Texas native first in the Southeastern Conference and 17th nationally, while her 55 overall blocks is 13th in the country. Knight is also third on the Alabama single season top 10 list and is already 23 away from the Tide's career top 10 list.
BOLTON AMONG ALABAMA'S TOP 10 IN CAREER BLOCKS
With her 18 blocks thus far this season, junior NeNe Bolton moved into Alabama's top 10 in career blocks. Heading into Sunday's game she has 84 total, which ranks seventh. She is now seven blocks away from the No. 6 spot currently held by Nikki Hegstetter (2012-16).
WILLIAMS CLOSING IN ON 1,000 POINTS AND 500 REBOUNDS
Junior Ashley Williams is 60 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. She is also one rebound away from 500 boards for her career.
GETTING TO THE LINE
Alabama finished the 2015-16 season ranked 73rd in the nation in free throw attempts (615) and 77th in free throws made (430) while averaging 69.9 percent made per game. The Crimson Tide is making an even stronger showing this season getting to the line a total of 518 times, 209 more times than its opponents (309). Alabama ranks first in the SEC and second in the nation in free throw attempts.
WATCHING WADE
Shaquera Wade's production all over the court has nearly doubled in every category from a season ago. The sophomore is averaging 11.3 points, a team-high 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.6 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 4.2 assists per game, ranking her fourth in the Southeastern Conference behind two seniors and a junior. Lewis has also scored double-digit points 13 times, led the team in steals five times and rebounding three times.
ABOUT AUBURN
Auburn enters Sunday's game with a 14-7 overall record and a 4-3 mark in Southeastern Conference play. The Tigers have lost their last two straight, falling to Kentucky (60-64) and at Missouri (53-68).
The Tigers are led by the dynamic senior duo of Katie Frerking and Brandy Montgomery. Frerking leads the team in points (16.0 ppg) and rebounds (6.6 rpg), while adding 2.7 assists and a team-best 2.8 steals per contest, while Montgomery chips in 15.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Sophomore Janiah McKay is the team's leader in assists at 3.6 per outing.
Auburn is under the direction of Terri Williams-Flournoy, who is in her fifth season as head coach of the Tigers. She's led Auburn to 19 or more wins in three of her previous four seasons and has reached postseason play three times, including the NCAA tournament a season ago. Prior to taking over in Auburn, Williams-Flournoy served as head coach at Georgetown (2004-12). She also had assistant stops at Southwest Missouri State (2002-04), Georgia (1996-02) and Georgetown (1992-96). Williams-Flournoy enters Sunday's game with an 85-68 record in her five season at Auburn and a 228-172 overall mark as a head coach.
