Alabama
23-7,10-6SEC
Oklahoma
23-6,11-5SEC
No. 20/20 Alabama Drops Regular Season Finale at No. 13/13 Oklahoma, 91-84
3/2/2025 4:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide conclude the regular season with a 10-6 Southeastern Conference record to earn the sixth-seed in the 2025 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament
NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 20/20 Alabama women's basketball team fell at No. 13/13 Oklahoma, 91-84, Sunday afternoon inside the Lloyd Noble Center. The Crimson Tide conclude the regular season with a 23-7 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the Southeastern Conference, earning the No. 6 seed in next week's SEC Women's Basketball Tournament.
Zaay Green led Alabama on offense, scoring 27 points while dishing out five assists. Sarah Ashlee Barker recorded her ninth 20-plus point performance of the season, tallying 20 points alongside six assists. Aaliyah Nye (15) and Essence Cody (12) each scored in double figures, while Karly Weathers added seven points and a career-high tying 11Â rebounds.
Payton Verhulst and Reagan Beers led the Sooners (23-6, 11-5 SEC) as Verhulst scored 24 points, while Beers added a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Head Coach Kristy Curry Comments
"Credit to Oklahoma, they were able to make a few more plays than we did. I thought our kids really battled and competed in a tough environment. You're not going to win in the SEC when the home team shoots 31 free throws and you shoot 14, or when you get out-rebounded by 12. We had 17 assists and eight turnovers; that's a 2-to-1 ratio and that's incredible. They made a few more shots and a few more plays, but it's hard to guard the free throw line."
Game Notes                                                   Â
- The loss marks Alabama's first this season with at least four players scoring in double digits
- The Crimson Tide starting five (Barker, Cody, Green, Nye and Weathers) combined to score 81 pointsÂ
- UA's 13 made three-pointers are its most made in a loss this season
- Weathers tied her season and career-high in rebounds, grabbing 11
- Barker and Green each recorded their ninth game scoring 20 points or more
- Nye eclipsed 100 made three pointers on the season, shooting 3-6 from three point range on the day
- Cody led the Crimson Tide on defense, grabbing three steals and blocking one shot
- Five UA players (Barker, Collins, Green, Nye and Weathers) tallied one steal a piece, as Alabama forced 15 turnovers on the day
- Alabama shot 40 percent from the floor (30-of-75), 42 percent from deep (13-of-31) and 79 percent from the line (11-of-14)
- In comparison, Oklahoma shot 46 percent from the field (29-of-63), 35 percent from three-point range (9-of-26) and 77 percent from the charity stripe (24-of-31)Â
How it HappenedÂ
- Oklahoma opened up the game going 4-of-6 from deep to enter the first quarter media timeout with a 16-11 leadÂ
- The Sooners increased the lead to 10 points at the end of the first quarter despite a Crimson Tide 7-4 run over the last two minutes (28-18)
- UA went on a 15-5 run across four minutes during the second quarter to even the score at 38-apieceÂ
- Alabama and Oklahoma entered the locker rooms tied at 45 at the half as the opening half featured three lead changes and four ties
- The Tide took the lead in the third quarter after a three-pointer from Essence Cody and a jumper from Aaliyah Nye
- With UA leading 53-51, the Sooners took the lead for good thanks to a 9-0 run that spanned just over two minutes and gave OU a 60-53 lead with just under six minutes left in the third
- Oklahoma would outscore Alabama 26-21 to take a 71-66 lead heading in the the final stanza
- After trailing by as many as 10 in the fourth, the Tide never quit and was able to cut the lead to three points, 87-84, on a Barker layup with 17 seconds remaining
- However, the Sooners hit their final four free throws to seal the seven-point win
Up Next
- Alabama will have a first round bye in the 2025 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament, which will be played in Greenville, S.C.
- The Tide will open tournament play on Thursday, March 6, in the final game of second roundÂ
