Alabama
Oklahoma
No. 7 Alabama Becomes First Team to Hit 198 Against Top-Ranked Oklahoma
3/17/2024 6:20:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Crimson Tide rolled to a 198.025 road score to become the first opponent this season to hit the 198 threshold against the No. 1 Sooners
NORMAN, Okla – The No. 7 Alabama gymnastics program rolled to a 198.025 team score – the highest road score for the Crimson Tide this season – to become top-ranked Oklahoma's (24-0, 4-0 Big 12) first opponent this season to reach 198. Despite that, the Crimson Tide fell to the Sooners 198.775 to 198.025.
The Tide (12-4-1; 3-3-1 SEC) got off to an early lead thanks to UA's uneven bars lineup as half of the Tide's lineup posted a 9.925 or higher. In the No. 5 spot, senior Cameron Machado's 9.925 score became her eighth 9.900-or-higher mark of the season with Luisa Blanco tying her career-high of 9.975 as anchor for a share of the event title.
Over on vault, three UA gymnasts performed to a 9.900-or-higher score on back-to-back events, highlighted by Corinne Bunagan's season-high 9.925 as the junior performed her way to a share of the event title. Blanco picked up her second-consecutive 9.9-plus score of the day, as Lilly Hudson recorded the Tide's third 9.900 on the event. Blanco and Hudson would finish each with a podium finish on the Tide's second event of the afternoon.
On the Tide's third event of the night, freshman Jamison Sears highlighted floor exercise with a career-high 9.925 on the apparatus. Blanco made it three-for-three, securing yet another 9.900 as sophomore Gabby Gladieux hit a 9.925 – her fourth 9.925-or-higher score of the season on floor. Burgess became the fourth UA gymnast to reach the 9.900 threshold as the Tide earned its second-highest road score on the apparatus at 49.525.
The Crimson Tide would record a season-high 49.625 on the balance beam as five UA gymnasts hit 9.900-or-higher scores, highlighted by a 9.975 performance from Blanco as the Dallas, Texas, native collected a second-place finish in the all-around via a 39.750 showing.
Three UA gymnasts captured six podium finishes en route to the team's 198.025 score.
Head Coach Ashley Johnston Said
"I'm really proud of how this group is connected and committed to the details. Today was a great reflection of that – they took what they learned over the course of the last year and really put it into play today, where there was a lot of really great moments. There were still a few missteps along the way, but they never let that faze them and they continued to respond, turn after turn, person after person. Everybody, from the lineup to the sideline, and whoever was cheering on this team – this was a great team effort and you could really feel the collective commitment to the mission out there on the floor tonight."
Inside the Score Sheet
- Alabama's 198.025 score is the second-consecutive meet reaching 198 and the third in four weeks as the Tide became the first opponent this season to reach the 198 team score against the top-ranked Sooners
- UA posted its highest rotation score of the season on the balance beam at 49.625 and its second-highest road score on the floor exercise at 49.525
- Luisa Blanco posted a 9.900-or-higher on all four events as the Dallas, Texas native rolled to a 39.750 score in the all-around
- The Crimson Tide racked up at least three 9.900-or-higher scores on every event
- Corinne Bunagan and Lilly Judson joined Blanco with podium finishes as Bunagan and Blanco each captured event titles
Up Next
- Alabama will travel to New Orleans, La., to compete in the SEC Championships on Saturday, March 23
- The competition will be aired on SEC Network
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Players Mentioned
