Alabama
16-6,3-4SEC
Kentucky
9-12,2-5SEC
Sarah Ashlee Barker Scores a Career-High 34 Points in Alabama’s 91-74 Victory over Kentucky
1/28/2024 8:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide picked up its first Southeastern Conference home win in the 17-point victory over the Wildcats
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team ended its three-game skid by defeating the Kentucky Wildcats, 91-74, inside Coleman Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Essence Cody collected double-doubles to lead the Crimson Tide (16-6, 3-4 SEC) to the win.
Barker led Alabama with a career-high 34 points, while hauling in 10 rebounds to pick up the third double-double, while Cody added 14 points and 10 rebounds. It is the first time since the 2021-22 season that two UA players collected double-doubles in the same game.
Kentucky (9-11, 2-4 SEC) was led by Brooklynn Miles and Saniah Tyler who both scored 14 points, and Maddie Scherr picked up a team-high nine rebounds.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Postgame Comments
"I really loved how our team played today on a special day with We Back Pat. Certainly the way we rebounded the ball was the difference in the ballgame. It was alumni day, so it was special to have a lot of alums in the building and welcome them back. We're excited for the opportunity that this week presents and we'll enjoy this until midnight and reset. I loved who our team tried to be all week in our preparation and the way we came out and executed the game plan."
Game Stats
- Three players scored in double figures for the Tide, including Sarah Ashlee Barker, Aaliyah Nye (15) and Essence Cody, while seven other players found the scorebook
- The team picked up 17 offensive rebounds while outrebounding the Wildcats by 18 (47-29)
- Alabama dominated on the offensive glass in the first frame, holding a 10-1 advantage
- The Crimson Tide connected on 77 percent (10-13) of its shot attempts in the second quarter
- After a stretch in which UA shot 2-15, the Tide finished the first half by making 10-11 attempts
- Barker scored 17 of her game-high 34 in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 17-16 in the stanza
- Barker became the first player to surpass 30 points in a game since Brittany Davis scored 33 against Baylor on March 18, 2023
- Barker's 34 points is tied for sixth-most in a game in program history
- With the offensive outburst, the Crimson Tide surpassed 90 points for the fourth time this season, a feat which was last accomplished in the 2016-17 season
How It Happened
- Kentucky scored the game's first points before the Crimson Tide went on an 8-2 run to take an early lead
- The Wildcats responded with eight unanswered points to take a 12-8 advantage into the game's first media timeout
- Kentucky led 20-16 after 10 minutes, thanks to connecting on 4-5 shots from deep
- Alabama quickly closed the gap, knotting the score at 24 with 6:40 to play
- After a back-and-forth start to the period, the Crimson Tide went on a 7-0 run in a minute to take a 42-34 lead, the largest lead by either team in the first half
- The squads traded buckets in the last minute of the first half, but UA took a 46-36 lead into the locker room
- The Crimson Tide took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 30-16
- UA exited the locker room and went on a 13-2 run over the first four minutes of the second half
- Aaliyah Nye continued Alabama's hot shooting by scoring 11 points in the third quarter, on 4-6 shooting (3-5 from 3)
- Kentucky opened the fourth quarter with a 14-7 run to trim its deficit to 17 points
- The Crimson Tide responded with a 9-2 run of its own, stretching the lead to 24
Next Up
- Alabama will travel to Bud Walton Arena on Feb. 1 to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks
- The Crimson Tide will face the Razorbacks on SEC Network at 8 p.m. CT
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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