A 19-0 run by the visiting Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks that stretched from the end of the first half into the beginning of the second half was enough to bury the women’s basketball team 75-57 in Foster Auditorium Wednesday. The loss was the Crimson Tide’s first at home and brings the team’s record to 3-5.
“I thought our leadership in the back court was poor with [Daisha] Simmons and Shafontaye [Myers],” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said. “I thought Khadijah Carter was as poor as I’ve ever seen her play.”
UT-Martin didn’t have an early answer for freshman forward Ashley Williams, who was responsible for 11 of her team’s 26 points at halftime. Williams finished with 18 points, three rebounds and two steals. Her 18 points tied a career high.
“[I just] got inside, really,” Williams said. “Just got inside. We all played hard.”
The Skyhawks’ senior guard tandem of Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome was held scoreless for the first several minutes. Scoring totals for both guards reached double digits by halftime and made up much of UT-Martin’s big run.
“Our effort defensively was atrocious,” Curry said. “You credit those guards, two seniors that really control the game. I think you have to credit them. As bad as we were, we were really good.”
Butler gashed the Tide defense for 22 points, and Newsome finished with 18.
Careless errors by the Crimson Tide did nothing to subdue the onslaught of points by UT-Martin, as Alabama committed six turnovers in the first five minutes of the second half and finished with 22 overall turnovers.
“It was disappointing,” Curry said. “It goes back to the game plan. We had 18 turnovers amongst our starters, and that’s completely unacceptable.”
Alabama averages more than seven steals per game and finished with 11 Wednesday.
The Crimson Tide will next play Houston Sunday in Foster Auditorium, the second of a four-game home stand.
“They’re a strong team,” sophomore forward Nikki Hegstetter said of the Cougars. “They come out to win every game. They’re fast and aggressive. But I think we have a big advantage in transition and inside-wise.”
After Houston, the Crimson Tide faces Jacksonville and Troy in Foster Auditorium before the winter break.
