No. 19 Alabama dropped its second home game of the season, losing 66-64 to Vanderbilt on Sunday, despite 2023-24 first team All-SEC guard Sarah Ashlee Barker making her return from injury and scoring a career-high 36 points.
Barker said it felt good to be back on the floor, but she added that, “I don’t really care about my career-high, to be honest. You gotta win games.”
The opening quarter was a tug-of-war, as the lead changed hands six times. However, the returning Barker showed no signs of rust. She scored 8 points on 100% shooting while collecting two assists and two rebounds.
Alabama led Vanderbilt 19-15 after the first quarter, but the Crimson Tide lacked 3-point shooting, only making one triple.
The second frame also belonged to Barker, as she converted four layups, a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws. Besides Barker, the rest of the Crimson Tide struggled to contribute early. Alabama turned the ball over 14 times, and guard Zaay Green was responsible for half of them.
Despite Barker’s stellar first-half performance that included 19 points and three rebounds, Alabama was plagued by turnovers, which led to 18 of Vanderbilt’s 27 points.
Alabama led 34-27 heading into halftime, but the game was not out of Vanderbilt’s reach.
Commodores head coach Shea Ralph said she told her players at halftime that it’s a very long game and instructed them to “take a deep breath, sit here for a second, communicate. Let’s now make our run.”
Vanderbilt opened the third quarter with a deep 3-point basket, but forward Essence Cody found an open look at the top of the key and buried her fourth triple of the season, showcasing the versatility that her coaches want her to have.
With under five minutes to go in the third period, Vanderbilt’s offense ignited while Alabama’s stalled. The Commodores went on a 12-0 run to capture their first lead since the opening frame.
Alabama turned the ball over seven more times and trailed 44-41 as the final quarter approached. Barker and Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes had 21 points each, and their respective teams leaned on them even harder in the fourth.
Barker put an end to Alabama’s scoring drought with a basket in the paint, cutting the deficit to a single point, but Blakes responded by converting a driving layup through contact and a free throw.
Alabama and Vanderbilt traded layup after layup until Barker drained a triple from the left wing to cut the deficit to 3. The Crimson Tide finally stopped the Commodores on the other end, and center Christabel Ezumah powered her way to a layup.
Alabama appeared in prime position to reclaim the lead, but the veteran Green was assessed a technical foul for reacting to a traveling call.
“I’m really disappointed today. There were a lot of miscues and uncharacteristic behavior from a discipline standpoint,” Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said, attributing the mistakes to a lack of energy and effort.
Vanderbilt hit both free throws, but Alabama did not fade away. The Crimson Tide’s Aaliyah Nye and Barker scored back-to-back layups to tie the game at 60.
Seconds later, Blakes did it again. She finished at the rim through contact, drew a foul and made her ninth free throw of the game.
“She’s so strong with her right hand, and she continued to attack us over and over going right,” Curry said.
Vanderbilt led by 5 as the final minute ticked away, but Barker drilled a deep 3-pointer that sent Coleman Coliseum into a frenzy. The Crimson Tide made a defensive stop to get the ball back, but Barker missed a layup on the following possession.
Alabama intentionally fouled with four seconds left, and Blakes split the pair of free throws, leaving the door open for the Crimson Tide.
Unfortunately for Alabama, Vanderbilt intentionally fouled while up 66-63, sending Barker to the line for two. This ultimately prevented the Crimson Tide from attempting a 3-pointer in order to tie the game, and the Commodores walked out of Coleman Coliseum with an upset victory.
Vanderbilt’s Blakes finished with 33 points, and forward Khamil Pierre’s 12 points, 14 rebounds and five steals paid dividends for the Commodores down the stretch.
Curry reiterated the sentiment that Alabama takes no moral victories in losses and said she is challenging her players to “do a better job of controlling the controllables.”
Alabama’s next game is a road matchup against Kentucky on Thursday. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT.