Alabama
16-6,5-4SEC
South Carolina
21-0,9-0SEC
Alabama Falls to No. 1 South Carolina 65-52
1/29/2023 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sarah Ashlee Barker (15) and Brittany Davis (13) combined for 28 of the Crimson Tide’s points in the game
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team came up short, 65-52, in a strong defensive game against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday.
Alabama (16-6, 5-4 SEC) saw a combined 28 points from Sarah Ashlee Barker (15) and Brittany Davis (13). Davis added a team-leading eight boards to the game, tying Jada Rice who finished with six points, eight rebounds and a block. Barker also had five boards and three assists, while Aaliyah Nye had eight points and two steals.
Bree Johnson paced South Carolina (21-0, 9-0 SEC) with 18 points, four boards and an assist off the bench, while Aliyah Boston recorded a 16-point, 12-rebound double double performance, in addition to capturing four blocks and four assists.
Alabama Head Coach Kristy Curry Said
"Just want to really thank our crowd, amazing environment, and everybody for coming out. We hope they'll continue to come out and support here. I think our crowds have really stepped up for us and this team really just appreciates it. It was National Girls and Women in Sport Day at the game. Volleyball, swim and dive, soccer and rowing (were here). We're coming out to start the game and volleyball and swim and dive are just high-fiving the kids coming down the hallway, and it's just a family. So great to see so many women in the building today and what amazing role models they are. Just across this country as we celebrate, we're just so thankful for the opportunities for so many little girls to participate in sport and everyone that contributes to that.
"As far as the game, really no moral victories. We expected to win today. We came up short against a really good South Carolina team. You know, it's a tall task, literally, and (we gave up) too many second chance points, a couple of loose balls. But I love two categories. That the fact that we made more free throws than they shot shows me that we were passionate and aggressive. The fact that we took care of the ball the way we did against a really good defensive team. They're averaging 82 points a game and we hold them to 65. So just a tremendous effort. You know, a play here or there, but again, I don't want to take away from South Carolina. I mean they're phenomenal and (we) just came up on short."
Game Stats
- The Tide held South Carolina to its third-lowest score this season and second-lowest score against an SEC opponent
- Alabama also held South Carolina to 17 points below the Gamecock's season scoring average heading into the game (82.9)
- Davis' 13 points marked the 20th time this season she has recorded double digits, while Barker scored double figures for the fourth time this season
- Alabama shot 34.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from distance
- The Gamecocks were 38.8 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc
- Alabama was 10-of-16 from the charity strip while South Carolina was 5-of-9
How It Happened
- The first quarter saw four ties as the Crimson Tide matched the top-ranked Gamecocks in the opening 10 minutes
- USC recorded a five-point lead, 17-12, with 1:42 to play in the opening stanza but a free throw from Loyal McQueen and a jumper from Davis brought the score to 17-15 by the end of the first quarter
- South Carolina opened the second quarter with a 6-1 run to take a 23-17 lead at 6:17
- Alabama, however, would take six of the next 10 points to cut the score to four (27-23) by the media timeout (4:29)
- The Gamecocks found their largest lead of the half off a 6-0 run to move ahead by 10, but a deep shot from Davis made it a seven-point game heading into halftime (33-26)
- Davis (11) and Barker (10) combined for 21 points in the half as UA shot 31.0 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from distance
- South Carolina was 35.3 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc
- UA and South Carolina both scored nine points by the five-minute mark (42-35), but a 6-0 run by the Gamecocks pushed the score out to 13 (48-35)
- A three from Nye at the end of the third quarter and a three from Hannah Barber to start the fourth made it a seven-point game (48-41)
- South Carolina took a 16-point lead, 57-41, off a 9-0 run, but the Tide fought back to make it 59-47 with 3:17 to play
- The two teams would trade points over the final minutes as the Gamecocks took a 13-point victory
Next Up
- Alabama will head to Missouri on Sunday for a 4 p.m. CT game against the Tigers in Columbia, Mo.
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