Crimson Tide Women's Basketball Wins Big
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Dominating.
That's definitely the word to describe The University of Alabama Crimson Tide women's basketball team last night in their 86-34 exhibition game victory over West Alabama last night in Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. Juniors Meoshonti Knight and Ashley Williams pumped in 16 points apiece to lead Alabama offensively in the win.
Knight and Williams weren't the only two Crimson Tiders in double figures for the evening. Freshman starting point guard Jordan Lewis stripped the net with 14 points and junior Quanetria Bolton, popped in another 12 points. Sophomore Shaquera Wade led the Crimson Tide in rebounds with nine, as well as with five to go along with her eight points.
Alabama was 41.5 percent, 27-of-65, from the floor, while West Alabama made 25.9 percent (14-54) of their shots in the game. The Crimson Tide was 30-of-40 attempts from the free throw line. The Bama defense was able to force 32 Tiger turnovers, with 25 of those coming as steals.
Curry again commented, "I think our kids came out with a lot of energy and some nerves. We overshot it a couple of times but loved our energy and our attention to taking care of the basketball tonight. There was not a turnover on the perimeter tonight, and that is hard to do. Nights like tonight are really good to be able to work through being in a game-like situation since that is hard to simulate in practice, so I thought it was a good start for us."
The Alabama Crimson Tide women's basketball team opens regular season play on Friday, November 11th participating in a doubleheader event with the men's basketball team. The women's team will open first with the tip off against New Orleans at 5 p.m. CT, followed by the men's team at 8 p.m. CT against Coastal Carolina.
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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Southeastern Conference College Football Scores
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What Saban Said To Tom Renaldi On College GameDay
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Southeastern Conference College Football Scores
4 Texas A&M 28 Mississippi State 35
9 Auburn 23 Vanderbilt 16
11 Florida 10 Arkansas 31
Ole Miss 37 Georgia Southern 27
Tennessee 55 Tennessee Tech 0
Missouri 21 South Carolina 31
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What Saban Said To Tom Renaldi On College GameDay
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Earlier this morning ESPN reporter Tom Renaldi spoke to Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban for College GameDay. The regular crew spoke of how good both teams are, how huge the game is and sent it to Renaldi and Saban.
Renaldi asked Saban how he coached through the absence of a key leader, Eddie Jackson (broken leg)? Saban said, "Well, it creates an opportunity for someone else. I don't think you can replace a player like Eddie Jackson, and not only his playing ability but his leadership. He was the quarterback of the secondary, but Minkah Fitzpatrick is going to move back there. We had a bye week so that gave him a little extra time to learn...and Tony Brown will play star."
Next Renaldi mention true freshman Jalen Hurts, and that he has already been in some big games. He also mentioned that Death Valley at night was different. "What have you told him, in terms of expectation"?
Saban answered, "I think the big thing is not to focus on expectation, but what's going to happen on the next play...let's focus on this play, let's try to control what's happening here on the field, in the green, whatever you want to call it...and not try to let that other stuff kind of affect you. And he's done a pretty good job of that. We've played in some tough places before - this is probably one of the toughest - but he's showing pretty good poise, you know, we're all going to have to play well around him to help him as well."
God bless him, Lee Corso kept talking about in order for LSU to win they had to want it bad enough. Kept asking, "Do they want it bad enough?" The others laughed and told him more than once that there was no doubt LSU wanted it.
But sorry, Lee, everyone wants it bad enough. They just aren't team enough.
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LSU Determined In Tonight's Matchup
Alabama Crimson Tide vs LSU Tigers
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| Photo Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images |
It would seem that the LSU Tigers have gotten really serious about the five consecutive losses to the University of Alabama football team. In an out-of-the-ordinary move, the players for the Tigers held a players-only meeting back on Thursday concerning the upcoming game with the Alabama Crimson Tide. According to LSU interim head coach Ed Orgeron, the meeting lasted approximately 15 minutes and was led by star running back Leonard Fournette.
From his statement, Orgeron and the coaches were asked to leave the room and reintered about 15 minutes later. Orgeron said, "When I came back, you could hear a pin drop in this room." Having not beaten the Tide since 2011 has really eaten at them. Orgeron had commented Wednesday during the SEC teleconference, "He’s (Fournette) probably the most motivated guy on the team, to be honest with you. I heard him this week in leadership, he has spoken to the team and will speak to the team again. His want-to to have success against Alabama is as high as any player I’ve seen."
Orgeron has already brought in numerous former players to speak to the team to help motivate them and encourage them toward a victory in this Saturday's game with Bama. As many as eight spoke to the team on Wednesday alone. Anywhere up to 25 is number tossed around for the week.
Former LSU head coach Les Miles was fired after a 2-2 start this season. Expectations were high, with many thinking that the Tigers would be the darlings of the SEC West, defeat Alabama and win the Southeastern Conference championship and even a few thought they would win the national championship. Now, under Orgeron, the Bengal Tigers are 3-0 and looking to make it four-straight while breaking the Crimson Tide's five-game curse over them.
Orgeron said, "This is a big game for our fans, a big game for our team, and a big game for our coaching staff. Realize that, but it's game four of our new season. Going to take it one game at a time and get after it."
Despite the fact that the 6'1", 235-pound Fournette broke a single-game rushing record (284 yards) against the Ole Miss Rebels in the Tigers' last outing, Fournette has been stymied in his game when facing the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, according to Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, Fournette still "brings the pain" on every run.
Last season the Tide defense held Fournette to just 31 yards on 19 carries. His last two meetings with Bama brought only 110 total rushing yards on 40 carries, a paltry 2.75 yards per carry.
Alabama players say they understand Fournette's frustration and motivation to beat the Tide this year. They expect him to bring his best game. Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen said, "I'd hope he'd come out that way, and I'm expecting it. And I'm going to be ready for it."
Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban believes the game is going to be won up front, in the trenches, with the line doing their jobs, carrying out their assignments. For the defensive line that means meeting the man in front of them head-on, clogging any potential running lanes for Fournette or any of the backs rushing the football. Alabama has been the nation's top team at stopping the run this season, holding opponents to only 70.13 yards per game.
Allen again commented, "If you can dominate the line of scrimmage, you can stop almost every back. So as a defense we always plan on dominating and controlling the line of scrimmage."
Saban, during his Monday news conference, said that Leonard Fournette was "probably one of the most dynamic running backs that has played in college football for awhile."
Alabama and LSU will kick it off tonight at 7 p.m. CT in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The game will be broadcast live by CBS Sports, with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, and Allie LaForce handling the broadcast.
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Tide Women's Tennis Looking Good At Seminole Showdown
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Participating for the Tide are senior Danielle Spielman, freshman Maddie Pothoff, junior Smith Hinton, senior Joanna Savva and freshman Juliana Valero.
One round of doubles play is set to begin today at 9 a.m. CT, followed by two rounds of singles play.
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Bama Swimming & Diving Falls At Auburn
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
It was a tough loss for the fifth-ranked Alabama men's swimming and diving team yesterday afternoon. The Crimson Tide fell to the No. 10 Auburn Tigers 166-134. The 25th-ranked Bama women had no better success against tenth-ranked Auburn, also falling 225-75.
Alabama swimming and diving head coach Dennis Pursley said, "I'm proud of the way we fought. We kind of came into the lion's den, but we went toe-to-toe with
them. They were a little stronger today but today will help us down the
road."
Crimson Tiders posting wins were Daniel Kober, Laurent Bams, Conner Oslin, Will Freeman and Zane Waddell individually, and then Wadell, Robert Howard and Luke Kaliszak took the 400 freestyle relay while Oslin, Pavel Romanov, Kaliszak and Waddell won the 400 medley relay for the men.
For the Bama women it was Mia Nonnenberg, Hannah Musser and Temarie Tomley posting second place finishes.
"We didn't win at the end of the day, but we won a lot of the battles along the way," Pursley commented. "We fought all the way to the end, and I'm pleased with them and proud of them."
The Alabama men are now 2-1 overall and 1-1 in Southeastern Conference action, while the Tide women are 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the SEC. Auburn's men and women are both 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the SEC. The Crimson Tide returns to action November 17-19 at the Georgia Tech Invitational being held in Atlanta, Georgia.
