Alabama
Tennessee
Women’s Basketball Starts Two-Game Home Stand Against No. 20 Tennessee on Thursday Night
1/16/2019 4:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide will try to extend its winning streak over the Lady Vols to five games
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team looks to extend its winning streak versus No. 20 Tennessee to five games on Thursday night at 8 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. Both the Crimson Tide (9-8, 1-3 SEC) and the Lady Vols (12-4, 1-3 SEC) have lost their previous three conference games after winning their respective SEC openers on Jan. 3.
PROMOTIONS
• Greek Night – Free T-Shirts, free food from Mugshots Bar & Grill and Greek Points available
THE BROADCAST
• Thursday's game will air live on SEC Network with Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Carolyn Peck (analyst) on the call.
• The game can also be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network on 93.3 FM in Tuscaloosa with Roger Hoover on the broadcast.
OPENING TIP
• Alabama will seek its fifth-straight victory over Tennessee on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum.
• The Crimson Tide (9-8, 1-3 SEC) has lost three-straight SEC games after winning its opener against Florida on Jan. 3.
• The Lady Vols (12-4, 1-3 SEC) have also dropped their last three SEC matchups after defeating Auburn on the road on Jan. 3. In those three losses, UT has lost by a combined eight points.
• The Lady Vols have dominated the series history against the Crimson Tide until recently. Alabama has won four straight matchups against Tennessee including, picking up its first-ever win in Knoxville last season on Feb. 15, 2018, 72-63. The Tide has bested the Lady Vols the last two times in Coleman Coliseum.
ABOUT TENNESSEE
• The Lady Vols finished non-conference play with an 11-1 record and won its first SEC game to Auburn 78-69 on the road on Jan. 3 before dropping its last three games in conference.
• Tennessee ranks seventh in the nation and second in the SEC in both offensive rebounds per game (18) and total rebounds (45.8). Rennia Davis leads the Lady Vols with 8.7 boards per contest.
• In addition to Davis' 14.7 points per game, Tennessee is led by Evinia Westbrook who pours in 16.7 points per contest and Meme Jackson with 13.1 ppg.
• Last season the Lady Vols finished 25-8 on the season and 11-5 in SEC competition. After defeating Liberty in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament, No. 3 seed UT was upset by No. 6 Oregon State, 66-59, in the second round.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Alabama has impressed the most when it's on its home court, compiling a 7-2 record, while combining for a 2-6 mark in games away from Coleman Coliseum. During its nine home games, the Tide is outscoring its opponents by an average margin of 12.8 points and has a rebounding margin of +9.0.
• The first half has been key for the Tide this season, when leading at half UA is 8-0, while when trailing, 1-8.
• • Sophomore Jasmine Walker "Big Forty" has made great improvements this season with the Tide. The Montgomery, Ala. native, is currently the team's leading scorer and rebounder with 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Walker also leads the team with three double-doubles this season and has five games in which she has registered double-digit rebounds. At 36.8 percent from the three-point line, Walker is first on the team in percentage and three-pointers made (28). Her 13.9 points ranks 13th in the league, while her 7.1 rebounds per contest ranks 14th in the SEC, while. In four SEC games, Walker is averaging 16.0 points per game which is T-10th in the league.
• Junior Cierra Johnson is currently is tied for second on the team with 13.5 points per game and is first on the team in total assists with 49 through 17 games. Johnson is also the top-rebounding guard on the squad and third on the team with 4.5 per contest. Four games ago, Johnson moved from shooting guard to starting at the point guard position with the injury to Jordan Lewis. Johnson is averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in those four games.
• Sophomore Ariyah Copeland's improvement can be spotted on the court and on the stat sheet. Through 16 games this season the Columbus, Ga. native, is tops on the team with 1.1 blocks per game and second on the team with 6.5 rebounds per contest. Copeland is also putting up 7.5 points per game, compared to averaging three points a game a season ago. The Columbus, Ga., native is second on the team with two double-doubles this season and has started the last eight games for the Tide.
• Junior Ashley Knight is just 29 blocks away from breaking Alabama's all-time block record, with 159 blocks in her career. Last year she finished No. 4 in the Tide record books with 59 blocks in a single-season. Knight still holds the single-season record for blocks with 90 in 2016-17. Knight also currently holds the highest career field goal percentage (55.9) in Alabama history. The Austin, Texas native, has made 185-of-331 attempts in her career at Alabama.
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