Alabama
7-2,0-0SEC
Houston
3-5,0-0AAC
Second Quarter Surge Helps Alabama Defeat Houston, 77-67
12/3/2021 9:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama women's basketball team won its fifth straight game in just 10 days inside Coleman Coliseum Friday, defeating Houston in comeback fashion, 77-67. The Crimson Tide improved to 7-2 in 2021-22, while the Cougars dropped to 3-5.
For the second straight game, four starters scored in double figures. Megan Abrams paced the group with 23 points on 8-of-12 from the field, including sinking a trio of 3-pointers, while adding seven rebounds. Brittany Davis (17), Hannah Barber (12) and JaMya Mingo-Young (11) rounded out the foursome.
Despite Houston jumping out to a 19-18 lead after the first quarter, the Crimson Tide outscored the Cougars in the second quarter, 23-10, on 69.2 percent shooting to set the pace for the rest of the game. Alabama made 26 of its 54 attempts from the field for its third straight game of shooting over 45.0 percent, while the Tide outrebounded the Cougs, 43-30, to win its fourth straight over the program.
From Head Coach Kristy Curry
"I just love the fact that we held them to 10 in the second quarter. You know, just came back out in the third quarter and were able to get a good lead in the fourth. Obviously, it got ugly there in the end but those are just some great learning opportunities. That's a really good team who's played a really good schedule, and I'm just really proud. You know, sometimes it gets a little ugly, but to have so many games in the amount of days we have and to play against that style of team, who I think has had six days to prepare for us, was really pleased with finding a way to win ugly. That's what really good teams do."
News and Notes
- Alabama is in its 48th season with a 798-616 (.564) all-time record.
- The Crimson Tide owns a 408-199 (.671) all-time home record.
- The Crimson Tide is 7-2 in 2021-22.
- Kristy Curry is in her ninth season as the head coach of the Crimson Tide, holding a 140-120 record in her time at The Capstone.
- Curry is in her 23rd season as a head coach in her career, holding a 449-269 mark all-time.
- Alabama's starting combination included guards Megan Abrams, Hannah Barber, JaMya Mingo-Young and Brittany Davis, and center Jada Rice, for the ninth straight game.
- Jada Rice scored first for Alabama in the game.
- Taylor Sutton were the first subs for the Crimson Tide.
- Jada Rice won the opening tip.
- Alabama outrebounded Houston, 43-30.
- UA has outrebounded its opponents in eight of nine games this season.
- The Crimson Tide defense forced the Cougars into 10 turnovers, scoring 13 points as a result.
- Alabama recorded 23 turnovers, as Houston posted 17 points off those errors.
- The Tide has won the turnover battle in eight of nine games this season, with tonight's matchup marking the first game the Tide did not.
- For the second game in a row, the Crimson Tide had four out of five starters in double digits.
- Megan Abrams (23), Brittany Davis (17), Hannah Barber (12), JaMya Mingo-Young (11)
- Megan Abrams leads the team in 20-point games, collecting her third of the season against the Cougars.
- Brittany Davis knocked down two 3-pointers against Houston.
- The senior has made at least two 3-pointers in every contest this season.
- Brittany Davis continues her trend of double-digit scoring, posting 10-or-more points in every game this season, thanks to her 16 points against Houston.
- Khyla Wade-Warren made a career-high three blocks in the evening contest.
- For the second straight game, Hannah Barber drained at least three 3-pointers, while also marking the fourth time she has done so this season.
How It Happened
- Jada Rice scored the first basket for the Crimson Tide after winning the opening tip.
- Alabama and Houston kept it tight in the first quarter, with the two teams tying the score four times in the first 10 minutes.
- Megan Abrams scored a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to keep the Crimson Tide within one of the Cougars, 18-19.
- She posted nine points in the first quarter on 3-of-4 from the field.
- Alabama turned the ball over four times in the first quarter, allowing Houston to score four points off those miscues.
- Megan Abrams scored a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to keep the Crimson Tide within one of the Cougars, 18-19.
- The Crimson Tide turned up the heat in the second quarter, outscoring the Cougars, 23-10.
- The Tide regained the lead at 8:04 in the second quarter, 22-21, thanks to a made layup by Jada Rice, then stretched it, 24-21, thanks to a made layup by JaMya Mingo-Young.
- Alabama held its lead the rest of the quarter.
- Alabama went on an 11-0 run near the buzzer, keeping Houston scoreless for more than three minutes in that time.
- The Tide shot 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from the field in the second frame, compared to the Cougs' 26.7 percent (4-of-15).
- The Tide regained the lead at 8:04 in the second quarter, 22-21, thanks to a made layup by Jada Rice, then stretched it, 24-21, thanks to a made layup by JaMya Mingo-Young.
- Alabama led Houston at halftime, 41-29.
- Megan Abrams scored 14 points in the second half, including sinking a pair of 3-pointers.
- Alabama shot over 50 percent from the field in the first half, while Houston shot under 35 percent from the field.
- Brittany Davis led the Tide with nine third-quarter points, including recording her first 3-pointer in the game, and grabbing four boards.
- Alabama led Houston the entire length of the third quarter for the first time in the game, topping the Cougs at the end of the frame, 63-46.
- Brittany Davis scored the first five points in the first quarter on 2-of-5 shooting, including her second three of the game, extending her streak of at least two 3-pointers in every game this season.
- The Crimson Tide held the Cougars to just two points in the first five minutes of the game, forcing them into a three-and-a-half minute scoring drought on the front end of the quarter.
- Houston went on a 15-0 run late in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 75-65, Alabama.
- Brittany Davis and JaMya Mingo-Young each made a free throw in the final minute, helping Alabama closeout the game with a 77-67 win over Houston.
Up Next
The University of Alabama women's basketball team will compete in its first true road game, traveling to Chattanooga, Tenn., to face Chattanooga Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
