Alabama
9-2,0-0SEC
SFA
6-3,2-0WAC
Alabama Downs Stephen F. Austin in Game One of the Holiday Hoops Weekend, 74-69
12/9/2023 5:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Aaliyah Nye ties her career-high with seven three-point field goals, leading the Tide to victory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team (9-2) defeated Stephen F. Austin, 74-69, Saturday afternoon inside Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide's Aaliyah Nye scored 19 of her 22 points in the second half and finished hitting a career-best seven three-pointers in the victory (7-12).
Nye, who eclipsed 200 career three-pointers behind Saturday's effort (206), led four players in double figures joining Sarah Ashlee Barker (21), Jessica Timmons (11) and Essence Cody (10). Barker also topped the Tide with seven rebounds and eight assists to tie her career high.
The Ladyjacks (6-3) were led by Trinity Moore who scored 21 points and collected nine rebounds, while two others, Destini Lombard (19) and Kurstyn Harden (14), also finished in double figures.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Postgame Comments
"Stephen F. Austin is a good team; I think they have an opportunity to win their league. I tried for a couple of days to get our players to understand that urgency and how talented they are, and you just have to give them a lot of credit for making some plays today. We missed some shots, and I thought that affected us in the first half a little bit defensively, kind of got our heads down and lost our intensity.
"I just am so proud of our team's toughness and character down the stretch, making shots, getting stops and making the right decisions on both sides of the ball. I thought we had some people really step up defensively and got critical stops and today's going to make us a lot better. I think we can learn a lot from today."
Game Stats
- Alabama's starters scored 70 of the Tide's 74 points
- The Crimson Tide shot 48 percent (29-61) from the floor, 37 percent (7-19) from deep and 50 percent (9-18) from the line
- In comparison, the Ladyjacks shot 44 percent (28-64) from the field, 30 percent (7-23) from beyond-the-arc and 75 percent (6-8) from the charity stripe
- With her first three-pointer of the game, Aaliyah Nye surpassed 200 career three-point field goals
- Nye (22) and Sarah Ashlee Barker (21) became the first Alabama teammates with 20-point games since Jan. 1, 2023
- Nye's seven threes were the most for an Alabama player in a game since Brittany Davis hit seven against Baylor on March 18, 2023
- Barker connected on 10 field goal attempts, the most for an Alabama player since Davis hit 13 against Missouri on Feb. 5, 2023
How It Happened
- In a back-and-forth first quarter, Essence Cody (6) and Sarah Ashlee Barker (5) combined for 11 of the Tide's 13 points
- Behind a game-high 15 first-half points, Sarah Ashlee Barker gave the Tide a 33-31 lead as they headed into the locker rooms
- The Ladyjacks' bench kept them in the game at the half outscoring their counterparts 11-0
- Aaliyah Nye drained three three-point field goals in the third, keeping the Tide in a close game trailing by three, 52-49, headed into the final frame
- With the score tied at 56-56, UA went on a 10-2 run and converted its final seven field goal attempts to pull out the five-point victory
Next Up
- Holiday Hoops Weekend continues as Alabama welcomes Samford to Coleman Coliseum
- The Crimson Tide will face the Bulldogs at 2 p.m. CT with the contest airing on SEC Network+
For all the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on X and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
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