Women's Hoops Dominates Washington at Seattle Times Classic
11/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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SEATTLE, Wash. - The University of Alabama women's basketball team used an 18-4 run midway through the second half to earn the championship trophy at the Seattle Times Classic on Saturday with an impressive 76-56 win over tournament host Washington.
Alabama, who just missed reaching the 80-point mark for the fourth consecutive game, improved to 4-0 on the year and captured the 37th all-time program title and the 29th of Coach Rick Moody's 16-year tenure with the win.
The loss drops the Huskies to 3-2 on the year with the 20-point deficit equaling UW's largest margin of defeat in the championship game of the Seattle Times Classic. Louisiana Tech topped Washington 70-50 in the 1987 title game. Washington, the two-time defending champion of the event, came into the game as the top vote receiving team in the nation not ranked in the Top 25.
"It is a great feeling to win a tournament against as talented a team as Washington on their home court," said Moody. "I told our kids before the game that it was going to be a battle of our athletes and depth against theirs and the winner would be the team that played with the most heart and intensity. I thought we won that battle."
Sophomore newcomer Marverly Nettles led another balanced Alabama offensive performance finishing with 19 points and garnering the Tournament MVP honors. Senior Natasha Gamble scored 10 points and joined Nettles on the All-Tournament squad. Fellow senior Katie Sipe posted a season-high 14 points, including 10 in the second half, to also reach double digits for the Tide.
The big advantage for Alabama in the game was under the basket, where the Tide won the rebounding battle, 49-23, and out-scored the Huskies 21-4 in second chance points. Dee Merriweather topped the Tide with 10 boards followed by eight from Nettles. UA finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds.
"I really liked our aggressive attitude tonight," added Moody. "I thought our guards did a great job of chasing down the long rebounds and limiting Washington's opportunities."
The Tide got out of the blocks quickly hitting its first four shots en route to a 10-4 lead at the first media timeout. Washington answered with a 10-0 run of its own over the next three minutes to grab a slight lead. The two squads kept things close for the next several minutes before a closing surge by Bama sent the Tide into the lockeroom with a 37-32 advantage.
Alabama grabbed a double-digit margin just three minutes into the second half after opening the frame with an 8-2 run then put the game away over an eight minute stretch from 11:43 to 3:37 by out-scoring the Huskies 18-4.
Washington's Dominique Banks scored 12 points as the only UW player in double figures with no Huskie able to finish with more than four rebounds in the game.
The Crimson Tide will enjoy a week off from competition before returning the hardwood next Saturday (Dec. 4) against Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. (ET) in Blacksburg, Va.
