By WRBL Staff
Alabama Media Relations
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women’s basketball team put together one of its finest defensive performances and combined that with its best shooting night on the season to avenge its worst loss in school history by running past South Carolina 65-54 Thursday night from Coleman Coliseum. With the win, the Tide move to .500 on the season with an 8-8 overall record and a 1-0 mark in SEC play.Alabama Media Relations
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Stumble It!“How happy can you be for a basketball team who has been through so much adversity this season,” head coach Stephany Smith said. “I love how we persevered and the focus and the fight. There are not enough words to describe how happy I am for this basketball team.”
Last season in Columbia, S.C. the Gamecocks (11-5, 0-1 SEC) handed the Tide its worst loss in school history with a 60-point defeat.
Alabama did not forget as it turned in a defensive gem by holding South Carolina to 36 percent (20-for-55) shooting and a near season-low 54 points. The Gamecocks tallied only 21 points in the first half by shooting a paltry 30 percent (8-for-27).
On the offensive end, the Tide was lights out. Alabama shot a season-best 56 percent (24-for-43) from the floor and from beyond the arc (5-for-9) to help snap a 19-game losing streak against conference opponents.
“We talked about it after the game. We were confident in playing this basketball game,” Smith said. “We were confident because we were prepared, and we were prepared because we were tuned in.”
Alabama raced out to a quick lead and never looked back. With 8:43 left in the first half the Tide had amassed a 26-9 lead on the strength of a 20-4 run.
South Carolina was able to climb back to within three (39-36) with 12:47 to play, but the Tide then rallied off a 15-4 run to hand Alabama a secure 54-41 lead with 7:37 left.
Three Tide players tallied double-digits in points. Junior guard Camilla Blands led the way with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Blands was 2-for-3 from beyond the arc and added two steals in 39 minutes of action.
Sophomore Tamara Williams gave the Tide an efficient 18 minutes. Williams tallied 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.
“It feels great to get an SEC win,” Williams said. “I think it’s helped our team get a little confidence going into the SEC play. I think the team’s confidence is up after this win.”
Talisha Chandler was nearly perfect from the floor, hitting five of her six shots to record 13 points on the game. Chandler added four rebounds and four assists.
Ilona Burgrova led the Gamecocks with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Demetress Adams added 10 points and five rebounds before fouling out.
Alabama recorded 24 field goals on the evening and had 17 assists. Sophomore guard Dedrea Magee led all players with seven helpers. The Tide out-rebounded the Gamecocks 35-29.
Alabama ended its six-game home stand with five wins. The Tide has tallied all eight wins in the span of its last 12 games.
