Women’s basketball triumphed over No. 20 Louisville in its hardest-fought game thus far.
For the first time this season, Alabama didn’t have the first points of the night. After a missed layup from Crimson Tide forward Essence Cody, Louisville forward Olivia Cochran took the ball back down the court, and forward Nyla Harris put the Cardinals on the board with a layup.
A 3-pointer off an opponent turnover by guard Jessica Timmons put Alabama back on the board at 3-2, but a free throw by Louisville left the game tied.
The first half continued to be fiercely competitive, with the Crimson Tide maintaining its lead over the Cardinals. Alabama showcased a solid 51.7% field goal percentage, outshining Louisville’s 42.9%.
Beyond that, Alabama demonstrated its prowess from beyond the arc with an impressive 42.9% 3-pointer percentage, while Louisville struggled, hitting none of its four attempts.
Alabama, however, had trouble converting its forced turnovers into points; although the Crimson Tide had 14 turnovers, only four resulted in conversions in this half.
The second half remained competitive, with Alabama falling out of the lead at 50-52 with two free throws by Louisville’s Nina Rickards.
Guard Karly Weathers played a pivotal role in Alabama’s victory against Louisville, contributing 13 points with 3-4 accuracy from beyond the arc and going 5-8 from the field, in addition to logging three rebounds.
“She just played really smart basketball,” head coach Kristy Curry said. “Let the game come to her; she made some open shots. We told our kids this week it’s going to take somebody different besides our big three. And today, it was Karly. And I’m just so proud of her.”
As the clock wound down, the game hung in the balance, tied at 69-69 with a mere 43 seconds left. Forward Aaliyah Nye stepped up, sinking a pivotal 3-pointer that broke the deadlock and catapulted Alabama back into the lead.
After another layup from Louisville, the game played out with a continuous exchange of fouls between the teams. Louisville secured two more points through successful free throws, while Alabama added six to its score to end the game at 73-78.
Alabama demonstrated control with a 44% field goal accuracy, outshining Louisville’s 39.5%. Notably, both teams exhibited equal proficiency in 3-pointers, with a 30% success rate.
Leading the team with a game-high 18 points, guard Sarah Ashlee Barker showed her scoring versatility with a 7-16 field goal record, including 2-8 from beyond the arc. Her impact extended beyond scoring, with seven rebounds.
“It wasn’t the prettiest day for her at times, but man, I thought she made some plays in the third and the fourth,” Curry said. “Hit some big 3s, big buckets. She just kept consistently talking, communicating, and infusing the kids with confidence.”
This game marks the first time the Crimson Tide has been able to take down a ranked team since its 2021-2022 season, where they defeated the 24/21st ranked Georgia Bulldog in the SEC tournament.
Alabama is poised for a showdown against the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday at 1:15 p.m. CT, determined to extend its winning streak to 7-0.
