Alabama
10-1,0-0SEC
Murray State
5-3,0-0MVC
Women’s Basketball Remains Undefeated at Home with 90-63 Win Over Murray State
12/15/2024 5:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide improve to 10-1 during the 2024-25 season
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team defeated Murray State, 90-63, Sunday afternoon inside Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide improved to 10-1 on the season following the 27-point win, while remaining undefeated at home.
Sarah Ashlee Barker and Zaay Green led Alabama on offense, as the duo each recorded 20-point games. Barker capped off the day with 21 points, five assists and three steals, while Green scored 20 points alongside four assists. Aaliyah Nye (14) and Essence Cody (11) also recorded a double-digit game.
On the defensive end, UA tied its season-high for blocked shots in a game with 12, as four blocks by Cody paced the Tide. Barker finished with a team-high nine rebounds, while also contributing three steals to the defensive effort as Alabama forced 16 turnovers on the day. Cody and Karly Weathers followed suit with seven boards apiece. Weathers' four offensive rebounds allowed the Crimson Tide to claim 13 second chance points.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Comments
"Proud of our response after finals [exams]. As a coach, I think you try and adjust, and work and adapt on how we can put them in the best position to be ready for today. We looked like we might have been studying there for a few more extra minutes in the first quarter, but I thought for the majority of the game we held a team that's averaging 91 (points). Our goal was in the 50s. I think with four [minutes] to go, we had them in the fifties. So I'm really proud of our defensive effort. Everything starts for us when we can get stops and get our transition game going. Really proud of our team today, collectively, for a 40-minute effort."
Game Notes
- Alabama scored 90-or-more points in a game for the fifth time this season
- The Crimson Tide dominated down low, outscoring the Racers 42-30 in the paint
- UA tied its season high in blocked shots with 12 after blocking a dozen versus Norfolk State (Nov. 14)
- With her 21 points, Sarah Ashlee Barker recorded her 10th double-figure game this season
- Aaliyah Nye recorded her sixth game of the season with at least four made three-pointers as she finished 4-for-5 from deep
- Essence Cody posted her fourth consecutive game in double-digit scoring
- Zaay Green tallied her third-straight game with 20-plus points
- Alabama shot 51 percent from the floor (35-for-68), 44 percent from deep (13-for-29) and 87 percent from the line (7-for-8)
- The Crimson Tide's three-point percentage marks the fourth time this season the squad has shot over 40 percent from long range
- In comparison, Murray State shot 33 percent from the field (23-for-69), 24 percent from range (7-for-29) and 90 percent from the charity stripe (10-for-11)
How It Happened
- Murray State claimed the early offensive advantage as it went on a 14-2 run to hold an eight-point lead at the end of the first frame (23-15)
- Kicking off the second period with a hot start, the Crimson Tide buried a trio of three-pointers, capped off by Karly Weathers' five-point play with an and-one three-pointer and a putback layup off a missed free throw
- Alabama's offensive surge resulted in a 13-2 run to retake the lead with two minutes remaining in the quarter (34-30)
- Eris Lester closed out the half with a three-pointer to extend the lead to a five-point margin (37-32)
- Alabama opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run to bring the lead to double digits (46-34), featuring a pair of layups by Sarah Ashlee Barker and a three by Zaay Green
- The Crimson Tide tallied another trio of three-pointers and a layup after the media timeout to make it a 21-point game entering the final period (61-40)
- The fourth quarter began with Green catching fire from deep as she went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first three minutes, bringing her point total to 20
- Both squads traded baskets for the closing minutes as Alabama maintained its largest lead all the way to the final buzzer (90-63)
Up Next
- Alabama will travel to Florida to play a pair of games in the West Palm Beach Classic on Dec. 20-21
- The Crimson Tide will tip off against Michigan State on Friday, Dec. 20, at 3:30 p.m. CT on BallerTV
