Alabama women’s basketball is preparing for its second exhibition match of the preseason against Mississippi College. Last week, the team defeated Faulkner 100-44. In a game where the Crimson Tide had five different players in double digits and showed depth on the bench outscoring Faulkner’s bench 51-23, but that wasn’t the case during practice.

The team’s bench lacked consistency.

“It’s preparation, the little things,” coach Kristy Curry said. “We’ve been talking a lot about execution,You know I think our freshman have to understand that you’re going to practice like you play. And practices are longer; they’re more days a week. Right now, I think we’re searching for consistency from our young kids, and the ability to be ready to practice every day.”

Shaquera Wade is just one of three seniors for the Crimson Tide that plays a crucial part to the success of the team. That experience needs to rub off on the newcomers.

“It’s really just pushing them every day. We need them, and so leading vocally and lead by being an example,” Wade said. “We need to keep pushing them every day to compete against themselves and compete against us. I think it’s big on my part to just push them hard in practice.”

Coming off a season where she started all 31 games, Jordan Lewis was the only Alabama player to average more than 30 minutes per game. She led the team 18 times in assists and finishing with 108 assists.

Lewis has been a consistent starter since her freshman year. She is a big factor at moving the ball around to different players, making a significant impact to the team and wants that to rub off on the other players this year.

“I think it’s tough playing 30 minutes a game, I don’t think it’s my choice like I want other people to play so you can go harder for shorter periods of time,” Lewis said. “It just goes to show you that there is room for the bench and other players to take that time so that maybe 20 minutes is better than 30 minutes. It’s important for them to understand that like practicing hard and competing every day against the first team that’s what you want to do; you want to beat them.”

When consistency has been an issue, Curry continues to stress how important it is to continue to grow as players.  

“You can’t just play at this level, you got to practice to so they have to understand that wasn’t reality against Faulkner,” Curry said. “It’s going to get a whole lot tougher a whole lot quicker. Mississippi College we expect a good test.”

The Crimson Tide hosts the Mississippi College Choctaws for its final exhibition Thursday at 7 p.m.