Alabama
5-2,0-0SEC
Southern California
4-3,0-0Pac-12
Alabama’s Win Streak Ends at Five Games After Falling to USC, 60-57
12/1/2019 2:09:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore De’Sha Benjamin was the leading scorer for the Crimson Tide with 13 points
LAS VEGAS – The Alabama women's basketball team hung tough with USC but fell 60-57 on Saturday inside South Point Arena in Las Vegas to close out the 2019 South Point Thanksgiving Shootout. The Crimson Tide (5-2) suffered its second loss of the season, while the Trojans (4-3) snapped their three-game losing streak.
Sophomore De'Sha Benjamin led the Tide with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while senior Cierra Johnson was the only other UA player in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds. Following the conclusion of the tournament, redshirt junior Jordan Lewis was named to the 2019 All-Tournament Team after averaging 15 points and 5.5 rebounds in the two games.
From Coach Curry
- "We're disappointed," said head coach Kristy Curry. "We weren't able to hit shots, especially in a situation where both teams are tired. I thought our bench would've helped us a little more, but we didn't have good play from our backcourt. We just have to be more consistent and that's the most disappointing thing from this experience."
Quarter-by-Quarter
- The game went back-and-forth to start with neither team going ahead by more than four points. At the end of the quarter, USC held the 18-14 advantage.
- In the second quarter, the offenses slowed down with the Trojans taking the halftime lead, 28-22.
- Alabama pulled within four points in the beginning of the third period, however, the Trojans held a single digit lead for the entirety of the quarter. At the end of three, USC was ahead 44-39.
- Junior Jasmine Walker knocked down a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter and pulled Alabama within two. USC responded with a 6-0 run to go up 50-42 with 7:12 to go. The Trojans pushed its lead to 11 mid way through the fourth, before sophomore Megan Abrams scored six-straight points to make it 56-52 with 2:34 on the clock.
- Later in the quarter, Alabama pulled within a point after Johnson hit three free throws to put the score at 56-55 with one minute remaining. USC converted its free throws down the stretch to seal the 60-57 victory.
Player Spotlight
- Benjamin provided another solid performance off the bench as she shot 10-of-20 (50 percent) for the tournament while averaging 11 points in the two games played.
Stat of the Game
- Alabama won the rebounding battle, outrebounding USC 37-30.
Up Next
- The Tide begins its six-game homestand with the Big 12/SEC Challenge against Iowa State on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. The game between the Crimson Tide and the Cyclones will air live on SEC Network.
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaWBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
