No. 23 Alabama women’s basketball outdueled Florida for the second time this season, defeating the Gators 84-66 on Thursday. Guard Aaliyah Nye nailed nine 3-pointers, which is a career high and the new school record.
“It was like going to a wrestling match,” head coach Kristy Curry said. “We were able to be just a little stronger, and we embraced toughness and grit.”
Forward Essence Cody was the highlight of the opening period for the Crimson Tide. Cody was successful on pick and rolls, using her 6-4 frame to finish strong at the rim against smaller defenders. Cody scored 10 points on 100% shooting in the first quarter.
With less than two minutes remaining in the opening period, Nye made her first 3-pointer of the game to extend Alabama’s lead to 5, but Florida followed it up with a quick 5-0 run to tie the game at 17 heading into the second.
Alabama’s defense shined from then until halftime, holding Florida to 10 points and 17.4% shooting from the field in the second quarter. Offensively, every Alabama starter had a contribution to the team’s 15 second-quarter points. The Crimson Tide led 32-27 heading into the half, and the first half featured only four free throw attempts from either.
“They did a really good job of buying into the game plan,” Curry said. “It wasn’t just the offensive side of the ball — it’s what they did on the defensive side collectively.”
It was a relatively low-scoring game for Alabama through two quarters of play, but the Crimson Tide offense exploded after halftime. Nye made four triples in the third quarter to go along with the two that she hit in the first half.
Florida’s offense also thrived in the third quarter as the Gators came all the way back from an 8-point deficit to tie the game at 6:33. Alabama’s defense was bending, but it did not break.
The Gators went nearly 2 1/2 minutes without converting a field goal, allowing the Crimson Tide to jump out to another two-possession lead.
Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker joined in on Alabama’s 3-point barrage and buried a triple to push the lead to 8.
Alabama and Florida traded baskets toward the end of the third quarter, and the Crimson Tide led by 6 with one period remaining.
The fourth was shaping up to be another evenly matched offensive battle until Alabama came up with a huge turnover at the seven-minute mark. Guard Karly Weathers grabbed a momentum-snatching steal that led to a forceful finish from Barker at the rim. This energy swing was ultimately the fatal blow for the Gators.
“Unbelievable effort from Karly,” Curry said. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy to ask her to do that. In the fourth quarter, we made the adjustment of moving her to the ball, and it changed the game.”
The scoring floodgates opened, as Alabama’s Nye tacked on three more triples, including one with 12 seconds left, to eclipse her career high and the school record.
Barker finished with an 18-point and 10-rebound double-double, and Cody ended up with 16 points and nine rebounds. Guard Zaay Green also cracked double figures for Alabama, scoring 15 points and dishing out six assists.
Alabama’s road trip continues on Sunday, when the team visits Mississippi State. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network at 1 p.m. CT.
