Alabama
6-0,0-0SEC
Nicholls State
1-4,0-0Southland
Jasmine Walker Scores 1,000th Career Point to Lead Alabama over Nicholls, 86-46
12/16/2020 9:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Keyara Jones adds a career-best 17 off the bench, including 15 from three-point range
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Jasmine Walker netted her 1,000th career point and led the Crimson Tide offensively with 21 on the night in Alabama's 86-46 victory over the Nicholls in women's basketball action. With the win, the Tide moves to 6-0 overall, while the loss drops the Colonels to 1-4.
Walker is the 30th member of Alabama's 1,000 Point Club, which she entered in under three full seasons. She also finished with a game-high 11 rebounds to record her third double-double of the season and 13th of her career.
Walker was joined in double figures by Keyara Jones, who had a season-best 17 points, including 15 from three-point range, and Allie Craig Cruce with 10 points. Hannah Barber was the team's leader in assists with seven.
Alabama forced 28 Nicholls' turnovers and capitalized by scoring 36 points off those miscues. The bench was also huge for the Tide, contributing 40 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Said
"Our team came out and took care of business and had a presence about them. We missed some easy shots, and we've got to learn that we can't allow that to dictate as we move along. We've just got to continue to play and take the next best shot.
"I want to say congratulations to Jas on 1,000 points. It's absolutely astounding to see her journey and what she's accomplished. To join that club here, I know she's really, really proud to be a part of it. For what she's done in the time that she's been here, it's just been amazing. I'm really, really proud, and she knows this, of how she's rebounding the basketball right now because I know that's an area of improvement she really wanted to improve … being aggressive on the board this year. When she's a double-double night in and night out, we're a much better team. She had a double-double on Sunday and then to back that up today, I just love her presence on the boards. I love how she's become not just a shooter, but a scorer, and it's all because of her hard work. We talk a lot about development, but I think when players decide to own their development, and she's a player that has really owned her development, and she's gotten better because of the things she's taken away from practice and her individual time with Coach Kelly to getting in the gym on her own. I'm really, really proud of her, and I'm proud of how she's been committed to Alabama. Congratulations to Jas.
"I want to end with our bench. It's really important that our bench have an opportunity to improve and get better. I'm so thankful and want to give a shout-out to Coach Plaisance for deciding to play this game on a last-minute situation because all she and I talked about was how could we help our teams get prepared for January? The commitment and passion she has for her players and the program there. I know they are going to have a great, successful conference season, and both of us just wanted to put our players in a position to get better tonight. I thank DoBee for her commitment and for traveling.
"I'm proud of our bench, especially this one to the right of me (Keyara Jones). There's been an adjustment period. She's continued to come out every day and work hard. She's been shooting the basketball really well in practice. I love our versatility on our bench, and it's like I tell them, 'You've got to be ready when your number is called.' Our bench has to continue to help us, and I'm really proud of Key tonight and her having some success because her hard word in practice is paying off."
News and Notes
- The Tide has out-rebounded its opponent in all six games.
- Alabama continues to make frequent trips to the free throw line, seeing the charity stripe 23 times in tonight's game. In all, the Tide has taken 145 free throws compared to its opponents' 63 attempts in 2020.
- Alabama has scored 75 or more points in all six games.
- The Tide hit 13 threes in tonight's game, which is the most this season.
- With her 21 points, Jasmine Walker has reached the 20-point plateau in five of six games this season. She's scored in double figures every time out.
- Walker recorded back-to-back double-doubles for the second time in her career after adding 15 points and 12 boards at Mercer on Sunday.
Up Next
- Alabama will play its final road contest of the non-conference season on Saturday when it heads to Memphis to take on the Tigers at 2 p.m. CT.
- The game will stream live on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
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