Sunday brought an end to the long losing streak for the Alabama women’s basketball team. On senior day, the Crimson Tide’s lone senior Shafontaye Myers scored 15 points to lead her team to its first win over LSU since February of 2002, a 16-game skid.
Myers also reached 1,000 points in her collegiate career, becoming the 24th Crimson Tide player to reach the milestone.
“Best senior day I’ll ever have,” Myers said. “I’ll always remember this thanks to my teammates and coaches. It means a lot to me.”
(See also “Myers leads women’s basketball team as only senior“)
Alabama coach Kristy Curry’s voice was heavy with emotion after the game.
“It’s just special,” Curry said. “I just told them in the locker room that there’s not a better memory she’ll have than having a decisive victory over a program over LSU on senior day, and she’ll remember that forever. That’s what it’s about, those moments.”
After a late first-half rally by the Tigers, the Crimson Tide defense tightened considerably in the second half, only allowing 26 points. The Tigers were outscored 39-26 in the last 20 minutes for their lowest second-half point total of the season.
If not for the free-throw shooting, the Crimson Tide might have enjoyed an even larger blowout. For the game, Alabama shot 34-of-50 from the charity stripe.
“We’ve got some kids who have got to commit to it at a different level,” Curry said. “Daisha [Simmons] did a great job of it today, but you can’t miss 16 free throws. You just can’t.”
(See also “Women’s basketball team ends drought against UGA“)
Freshman Brittany Jack got meaningful time in the first half during a tight game, knocking down consecutive three-pointers to widen a then-slim Crimson Tide lead. Alabama was 6-of-10 for threes in the first half and finished 8-12. Jack finished with nine points over 16 minutes.
By the 7:18 mark of the second half, the Crimson Tide had pushed its lead to 20 over the Tigers. Four Alabama players reached double-digit scoring, including Myers, Simmons, Ashley Williams and Sharin Rivers. Simmons and Williams both finished with 14, and Rivers scored 12.
Alabama benefited from 10 LSU turnovers in the first 10 minutes in an overall sloppy game regarding ball security. The Crimson Tide scored nine points off 11 Tigers turnovers by halftime, yet LSU was able to score 14 off only nine turnovers committed by Alabama in the first half.
The Tigers turned the ball over 24 times in the game, while the Crimson Tide committed 18 turnovers of its own. LSU turned those into 23 points, and Alabama scored 21 off turnovers.
With the win, Alabama has all but locked up a first-round bye in the SEC tournament. The Crimson Tide’s win solidified its position in the race.
“Like Coach said, it puts us in a good position in the tournament,” Simmons said.
Alabama (14-15, 7-9 SEC) will likely have a bye on Wednesday, March 12, the first day of the tournament, and play sometime Thursday.
