Alabama
9-1,0-0SEC
California
8-1,0-0ACC
No. 19/17 Alabama Falls on the Road to Cal, 69-65 on Thursday
12/5/2024 11:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide move to 9-1 on the season
BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 19/17 Alabama women's basketball team dropped its first game of the season to Cal, 69-65, in the SEC/ACC Challenge, Thursday night inside Haas Pavilion.
Alabama (9-1) and Cal (8-1) switched leads seven different times during the game, before the Bears took the final lead under the five-minute mark in the fourth. The Crimson Tide outrebounded Cal, 38-36 and scored 42 points in the paint compared to the Bears' 28.
Zaay Green contributed a season-high 28 points with a pair of assists and a steal, while two other Alabama players picked up double-digits, including Essence Cody (13) and Karly Weathers (10). Both Cody and Weathers were nearing a double-double, as the two combined for 17 total rebounds.
Kayla Williams led Cal with 21 points while Ugonne Onyiah grabbed a team-high nine boards.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Comments
"Tough one tonight. Credit Cal - it was an amazing environment. I thought we battled, battled, battled. We just weren't able to get a couple of critical stops and make a couple of plays down the stretch. We missed nine free throws, which are little things on the road that we know we can correct. Cal is a really good team, a veteran team, that can really shoot the ball. We struggled a little bit there in the third [quarter] and I think we gave them five for seven from deep. Our kids battled through a lot of adversity tonight. I thought it hurt us with Diana [Collins] being out, and Sarah Ashlee [Barker] had flu-like symptoms, so no excuses. Those aren't excuses, but I thought our kids really battled through some adversity tonight."
Game Notes
- Through 10 games, the Crimson Tide secured its best start to the season in four years (2020-21)
- UA led the game on the glass with 38 rebounds compared to the Bears' 36 boards
- Essence Cody (13) and Zaay Green (13) combined for 26 points of Alabama's total 32 at halftime
- Green (28) recorded back-to-back 20 point games, securing her ninth double-digit game this season and a new season-high
- Cody (13) posted her sixth double-digit scoring game of the season, while Karly Weathers (12) recorded her third
- The Crimson Tide outscored the Golden Bears in the paint 42-28
- Alabama shot 41 percent from the floor (26-for-63), 24 percent from deep (4-for-17) and 50 percent from the line (9-for-18)
- In comparison, California shot 44 percent from the field (25-for-57), 33 percent from range (9-for-27) and 63 percent from the charity stripe (10-for-16)
How It Happened
- Alabama jumped out to a four-point lead at the first media timeout of the matchup (8-4) before the Bears took the lead to close out the first quarter (14-13)
- The Crimson Tide went on a 7-2 run in the second quarter, pushing its lead to six points at the second media timeout of the contest
- The second quarter featured a series of runs, with UA closing the half on a 15-10 run to enter the locker room with a six-point lead
- Cal held Alabama to 18 points in the third to take a four-point lead at the end of the quarter (54-50)
- Alabama opened the fourth with back-to-back threes from Green and Weathers to regain the lead 56-54
- The Bears closed the game on a 15-9 run over the final 7:40 minutes of the fourth quarter
Up Next
- Following a bye week, Alabama will prepare to welcome Murray State on Sunday, Dec. 15, to Coleman Coliseum
- The Crimson Tide and Racers will tipoff at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network+
