The Alabama women’s basketball team hosted the undefeated, fourth-ranked Louisiana State University Tigers on Monday night in Tuscaloosa, and the end result was far from what the Crimson Tide had been hoping for.   

LSU picked up the 20th win of its still-perfect season, which also moved it to 8-0 in the conference. Alabama’s (15-5, 4-3 SEC)  three-game winning streak halted in definitive fashion. The final score was 89-51.  

“We’ve had better nights,” Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said. “[LSU] shot the ball really well, had balance throughout the score sheet, and we have to pick ourselves up and move forward.”  

The Crimson Tide only managed to shoot 29% from the field; it connected on just two from long range in 17 first-half attempts. Alabama did manage more threes in the second half than the first, but it was too little, too late. The Crimson Tide, normally a solid unit from beyond the arc, lifted 27 shots from 3-point land — only five fell. The Tigers shot 49% from the field and balanced the scoring, with four players in double figures.   

It took Alabama until the final quarter for its high scorer, graduate student guard Brittany Davis, to reach double figures. Davis led the Crimson Tide in points with 11. The next-closest player to double digits was junior guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, who fouled out early in the fourth quarter with nine points.  

LSU’s Angel Reese, who was averaging a double-double coming into Monday’s game, posted another with 14 each in points and rebounds. Leading the Tigers in scoring was Jasmine Carson, who had 20 and a buzzer beater to close out the first half. LSU hit eight of 18 attempts from beyond the arc.  

Alabama collected 15 offensive rebounds but was still outdone on the glass, 49 to 37. No Crimson Tide player found her way into double figures on the boards; Jada Rice was closest with nine.  

“We believe in [the players],” Curry said. “That was tough. It didn’t go the way they wanted. … [Adversity] is all about your response. We can either react, or we can respond. I have no doubt that we’ll continue to teach, coach, and come back tomorrow and go back to work. That’s what we do.”  

Curry emphasized staying positive and using the loss as an opportunity to grow, as the Crimson Tide faces a daunting stretch for the remainder of January. Two difficult games remain in a month where Alabama is now 3-3.   

“You can’t allow these things to linger on and be negative,” Curry said.   

The Crimson Tide has a quick turnaround for its next game, which is Thursday, Jan. 26, on the road in Arkansas. Alabama is set to tip off in Bud Walton Arena at 6 p.m. CT. The next time the Crimson Tide plays at home will be against the top team in the land, the South Carolina Gamecocks, on Jan. 29.