Women's Basketball Heads to Kansas for Sunday Matinee
12/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The women's basketball team will play its second true road game of the season on Sunday when it takes on the Kansas Jayhawks. The game is slated for 2 p.m. CT in Allen Fieldhouse.
"Kansas is playing really well right now," Alabama head coach Wendell Hudson said. "Our team is really excited about making this trip and playing another quality team in the early part of our schedule. This is going to be a true test for us, which is what we need as we near the start of Southeastern Conference play."
Both the Tide and Jayhawks enter Sunday's contest with an 8-1 record and are both receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll. Alabama has not seen game action in the past six days, while Kansas recently dropped a 75-67 decision at Michigan on Thursday.
The Tide is off to its best start since the 2000 season and is averaging a league-high 79.0 points per game. Alabama has scored 80-plus points in its last three games, all of which were wins. The Tide has been stellar on defense forcing 243 turnovers for an average of 27.0 per game. In addition, Alabama averages 11.6 steals per contest grabbing 10 or more thefts in seven of its nine games. The Tide is led by senior Tierney Jenkins, who averages 18.0 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. She has collected a double-double in all but one game this season.
"What we are doing on the court gives us an opportunity to win," Hudson added. "We have not made changes based on our opponents. We are going to press and trap for 40 minutes, no matter what the score is. We are trying to play a fun, up-tempo style of basketball that not only has helped us to be successful, but it has also drawn some more attention, in terms of fan support, to our program."
The Jayhawks have also put up big numbers offensively this season averaging 83.2 points per game while limiting the opposition to 61.3 points per contest. Kansas is currently undefeated at home with a 6-0 record and has four players averaging double-figure points this season. The Jayhawks are led on offense by sophomore Carolyn Davis' 18.4 points per outing. Junior Aishah Sutherland chips in a team-high 9.7 rebounds per game, while freshman Keena Mays dishes out a team-best 6.3 assists per contest.
Sunday's game will be the first between Alabama and Kansas. The Tide is currently 6-8 all-time against Big 12 opponents. Its last game against a team from the Big 12 was on Nov. 24, 2006, in which Alabama lost to Missouri, 78-70.
