Women's Basketball Eager to Tip Off Season Against Hampton
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women’s basketball team officially begins its 2019-20 campaign with its season opener against Hampton inside Coleman Coliseum. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
This is the third meeting between the two schools, with Alabama holding the 2-0 all-time advantage. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 22, 2008, when UA won, 69-60. The only other time the programs played, Alabama won in Tuscaloosa in overtime, 63-60, on Dec. 20, 2007.
The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ via the WatchESPN app. Eli Gold (play-by-play) and Rick Moody (analyst) will be on the call and will be joined by sideline reporter Addie Weaver.
Alabama is 5-1 in season openers under head coach Kristy Curry, having won five straight by an average margin of 39 points.
In its lone exhibition of the season, the Crimson Tide posted an 89-point victory over Auburn-Montgomery, 105-16, on Oct. 27. Alabama was led by sophomore Brittany Davis’ game-high 19 points.
Alabama has nine of its top 10 scorers coming back from last season including four of five starters, which includes senior Cierra Johnson, sophomore Megan Abrams, junior Jasmine Walker and junior Ariyah Copeland.
The Lady Pirates went 16-14 in 2018-19 including 12-6 in their first year in the Big South Conference. Davis Six is entering his 11th season and is the program’s all-time winningest coach with 214 career wins.
Hampton also returns a lot of experience with nine players coming back from its 2018-19 roster, including senior Ashley Bates who was named the Big South Player of the Year and the Big South Defensive Player of the Year. She averaged 17.4 points per game last year, which was tops in the conference.
