For the Alabama women’s basketball team, there truly is no place like home during the 2013 season. The Crimson Tide is 2-0 at Foster Auditorium.
In addition to its undefeated home stand, Alabama now also has a neutral-site win to its credit after defeating Cal State Fullerton 69-54 Nov. 30 in the conciliation round of the Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic.
“It was fun,” senior guard Shafontaye Myers said. “It felt great because it was our first road win of the year, and we went all the way to California to get it. It provided extra motivation.”
Myers led the Crimson Tide in scoring for both games in California with a 17.5 average to land a spot on the all-tournament team. Myers also leads Alabama in scoring average for the season with 13.1 points per game.
“I thought she did a great job with shot selection and letting the game come to her,” coach Kristy Curry said. “She played well on the defensive end. I think defensively she’s really worked hard as well.”
Junior guard Daisha Simmons also scored in double digits against Cal State Fullerton while contributing 10 assists, a career-high for Simmons. She is currently tied for 12th in the country in total steals and 18th in steals per game.
The Tide’s next opponent, The University of Tennessee at Martin, is 5-3 on the season, with one of its losses coming against SEC opponent Missouri 77-74. The three-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champions Skyhawks are led by senior guard Heather Butler, who set the NCAA record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made last spring in her 80th consecutive game with a goal from behind the arc.
“[They have] two very dynamic guards,” Curry said. “They score and score in bunches. Very well coached, very fundamentally sound.”
UTM also has one distinguished alumna from its basketball program: legendary Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt, who coached the Lady Volunteers from 1981-2012 and achieved eight NCAA Championships in her tenure.
Myers, who leads the Crimson Tide in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made, said the team has improved in multiple areas since the beginning of the season, including scoring, as the Tide reached its highest point total in the loss to Saint Mary’s.
“[We’re] growing as a team and improving in team rebounding,” Myers said. “Our defense has stepped it up a notch, and offense is scoring more.”
After UTM, Alabama will take on Houston Dec. 8 in Foster Auditorium and will play two more games at home before Christmas break.
