Alabama
9-5, 1-0SEC
Florida
4-10, 0-1SEC
Alabama Completes 20-Point Comeback to Down Florida, 74-67, in SEC Opener
1/3/2019 10:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore Jasmine Walker led the way with 23 points
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After trailing by 20 points in the second quarter, the Alabama women's basketball team completed the comeback and secured its first Southeastern Conference win of the season, 74-67, over Florida on Thursday night inside Coleman Coliseum.
"We just had a tremendous effort," said head coach Kristy Curry. "We always talk about playing every possession of every single day, and our kids really played each possession. We stuck with the game plan and chipped away. It was just a great effort and I'm really proud and happy for our team. We've had a tough few days and for them to respond the way they did and to stick with it showed a lot of character."
The Crimson Tide (9-5, 1-0 SEC) were down 29-9 with 6:50 left in the second quarter before rallying back and using timely runs paired with lockdown defense to top the Gators (4-10, 0-1 SEC).
Individually, Alabama was led by sophomore Jasmine Walker who scored 23 points, just one-point shy of her career high. Walker provided a surge going a career-best 5-of-6 from beyond the arc to go with six rebounds, while junior Cierra Johnson notched two buzzer-beaters with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists. Senior Shaquera Wade also earned her fourth career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
After the Tide took the early 5-4 lead, the Gators rattled off a 21-3 run over the final eight minutes to take the 25-8 advantage going into the second quarter.
Florida took its largest lead of the game at 29-9 in the second, before the Crimson Tide cut the deficit to single digits with 1:05 left before the half, 34-25. Alabama scored the final five points of the half, including Johnson draining a step-back three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to cut it to 37-30.
Two old-fashion three-point plays by UA in the first two minutes of the second half made it 37-36 with 8:01 on the clock. Johnson's third three-pointer of the game gave the Tide the 39-38 lead with 6:18 to go in the frame. Alabama took its largest lead of the third quarter when freshman Allie Craig Cruce knocked down a three-point basket to put UA up 44-39.
The Gators responded with a 10-0 run to take the 49-44 lead, before the Crimson Tide closed out the third with a 7-0 and Johnson hitting her second buzzer-beater of the game when the Mobile, Ala., native threw up a running one-hander from just inside the arc to give Alabama the 51-49 lead going into the final 10 minutes of play.
The two sides battled back-and-forth in the final quarter, when Florida knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 61-61 with 4:35 left in regulation. After UF took the 63-61 edge, the Tide responded with seven-straight points, including a clutch three-pointer from Walker to put Alabama up 68-63 with 1:21 remaining in the game. The Tide held on for the eventual final score of 74-67.
For the game, the Crimson Tide shot 50 percent (9-of-18) from beyond the arc, 44 percent (24-of-54) from the field and 77 percent (17-of-22) from the free throw line, while holding the Gators to just 22-of-62 (35 percent) from the floor.
Alabama will continue conference play on Sunday, Jan. 6, when it travels to Columbia, S.C., to face the No. 23 South Carolina Gamecocks. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. CT and the game will be televised on ESPNU.
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