Alabama Women Beat Troy in First Round of WNIT
Alabama women’s basketball will have the opportunity to continue its late-season success as the Crimson Tide opened play in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament with an 82-79 victory at Troy on Thursday night.
The victory marked the Crimson Tide’s sixth win in eight games. Alabama (18-13) will now move on to the second round of the tournament where it will travel to Tulane on Monday at 6:30 p.m. CT. Troy ends its season at 24-9.
Alabama led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter but saw its lead trimmed to 78-77 with 1:19 remaining as Troy went on an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter. From there, the two teams traded buckets as Alabama’s JaMya Mingo-Young hit a jumper to put the Crimson Tide up by three before Troy’s Felmas Koranga answered back to bring the game within one point with 15 seconds remaining.
After two free throws from Megan Abrams put Alabama up 82-79 with seven seconds remaining, Troy turned the ball over to ensure the Crimson Tide’s victory.
Alabama started slow but began to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring Troy 23-12 in the period to take a 42-34 lead at the break. The Crimson Tide shot 52.6% (10 of 19) in the second quarter while holding the Trojans to just 26.1% (6 of 23).
Abrams led Alabama with 24 points while hitting 4 of 10 shots from beyond the arc. Jada Rice recorded a double-double with 15 rebounds, while Brittany Davis also had a big night with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and eight steals. Mingo-Young was also in double figures with 16 points.
The Crimson Tide didn’t score its first points off the bench until a layup from Myra Gordon with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter.
After reaching the NCAA for the first time in more than two decades last season, Alabama appeared poised to make a return trip this year after beginning its season with a 10-3 record. The Crimson Tide stumbled from there, dropping seven of its next eight games.
A late-season run kept slim hopes NCAA Tournament hopes alive as Alabama won five of its final seven games leading up to Selection Sunday, including upsets over then-No. 12 Tennessee and then-No. 24 Georgia. Another upset win against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament would have likely seen Alabama punch its unlikely ticket to the Big Dance. However, the Lady Vols knocked off the Crimson Tide, ultimately sending it to the WNIT.
