For the third time in head coach Kristy Curry’s 11 years at Alabama, the Crimson Tide is headed to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.
“Anytime you have an opportunity to play in an NCAA tournament, it’s a true honor. It’s really hard to do.” Curry said. “Through the years, it’s something that I certainly don’t take for granted, and I am really proud of this team. … To only have five players returning and two starters speaks volumes about what this team has done.”
The committee lined Alabama with familiar foes at the Sunday Selection Show. No. 8 seed Alabama will head to Austin, Texas, to take on the No. 9 seed Florida State Seminoles.
Despite the football season turmoil between the Crimson Tide and the Seminoles, this will be only the second meeting between the women’s basketball teams after Alabama fell to Florida State 68-61 in 2010.
Alabama (23-9) is led by senior guards Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye, who were both named to All-SEC teams. Barker leads the team in points per game, averaging 16.7, while Nye is the fourth best 3-pointer shooter in the country.
Freshman forward Essence Cody is one of the Crimson Tide’s biggest weapons. Cody was also named to the SEC All-Freshman team and has been named SEC Freshman of the Week four times this season.
The Seminoles (23-10) suffered a similar fate to Alabama’s loss against Tennessee in the SEC tournament after losing to North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinal. Still, guard Loyal McQueen, who played Florida State during her time at Georgia Tech, said that defeat isn’t a reason to discount Alabama’s opponent.
“They’re a very well-coached team. So, it’s definitely going to be another challenge for us,” McQueen said. “It’s definitely a different style of play than what we’re used to in the SEC. So, we’re just going to have to come out and just play Alabama basketball and just come out with a strong start.”
Florida State is led by guard Ta’Niya Latson, who currently averages 21.3 points a game, and forward Makayla Timpson, who leads the team by averaging 14.1 points and 10 rebounds a game.
If the team wins against the Seminoles, it will have the chance to play the Portland 4 region’s No. 1 seed, Texas, and maybe get the win over the Longhorns that Alabama fans have been dying for.
