Alabama
14-10, 4-7SEC
South Carolina
19-5, 8-3SEC
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Game Leaders
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Alabama Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short Against No. 7 South Carolina, 79-66
2/8/2018 8:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Crimson Tide had three different players score 12-plus points in the loss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought battle against No. 7 South Carolina, 79-66, on Thursday night inside Coleman Coliseum.
"I thought our team really competed," said head coach Kristy Curry. "Against a team like South Carolina, you have to give them credit because they just don't make a lot of mistakes and we made too many. You look at the effort category: we gained eleven more shots, we only turned the ball over nine times, we had 19 offensive rebounds, we out-rebounded them by six, and we matched getting to the free throw line, which you have to do. I sit here and look at the stat sheet, and again our effort and the numbers are there, we just aren't cleaning those numbers up with the finishes."
The Crimson Tide (14-10, 4-7 SEC) outrebounded the Gamecocks (19-5, 8-3 SEC) 42-36 in the loss.
Senior Hannah Cook and junior Shaquera Wade led the Tide with 13 points and six rebounds apiece, while sophomore Jasmine Walker chipped in 12 points off the bench.
The Tide hung tough in the first 10 minutes of the game, maintaining the lead for the first 9:58 when South Carolina converted a layup just before the first quarter buzzer sounded to give USC the 21-20 edge.
South Carolina opened up the second quarter on a 10-0 run to take the 31-20 lead with 7:31 left in the half. The Gamecocks continued to hold the double-digit advantage and built their lead to 45-30 after 20 minutes of action.
Alabama continued to battle into the third quarter by outscoring South Carolina 19-16 to trim the deficit to 61-49 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final 10 minutes, Alabama never quit, pulling within 11 points when the Tide went on a quick 8-0 run capped off by Cook draining a three with 5:50 left in the game. UA continued to chip away at the USC lead when sophomore Jordan Lewis knocked down two free throws to trim the South Carolina advantage to single digits with 3:57 remaining. Sophomore Amber Richardson pulled the Tide within eight points when she stole the intended pass and finished on the fast break to close the gap to 71-63 with 3:10 left in the game.
South Carolina continued to knock down free throws down the stretch to ice the game and prevent the Alabama comeback.
The Tide will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. CT on the road against Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. The game will air live on SEC Network+.
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