Brittany Davis Leads Alabama Women's Basketball to Senior Day Win Over Vanderbilt
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — In Brittany Davis' final game inside Coleman Coliseum, the senior made a statement.
Alabama (15-12, 6-10) secured an exciting win over Vanderbilt (13-17, 4-12) in its regular season finale by a final score of 77-71. The Crimson Tide has now won four of its final six games headed into postseason play.
"There's been a lot of growth by our team," Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said. "We've been in some of these same situations earlier in conference play and weren't able to finish. What's your response going to be, are you going to get better or worse every day? This group has really tried to be better and it's great to see it pay off."
Davis, Megan Abrams, Hannah Barber, Taylor Sutton, and Allie Craig Cruce were all honored as a part of Senior Day for the Crimson Tide. Cruce received the start at forward, her first of the season.
"Anytime we have the opportunity to take a step back and reflect and celebrate like we were able to do today, it means a lot to us," Barber said.
The crowd inside Coleman Coliseum, filled with the families of the seniors, brought the energy for the game that preceded the Senior Day celebration. Alabama's offense erupted early on, with a 15-2 run aided by a 4-5 start from beyond the arc allowed Alabama to jump out to an early double digit lead.
Alabama led by as many as 11 in the first quarter, but adjustments from Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph got the Commodores back into the game quickly. Vanderbilt executed a 1-3-1 zone with a halfcourt trap to near perfection, erasing its deficit seemingly as quick as it was built.
As soon as Alabama looked to have lost all momentum in the third quarter, Davis decided to take over. The senior exploded from deep, scoring 14 points in the quarter and bringing Alabama back within two points of Vanderbilt as "Let's go Bama" chants filled the arena during an official review.
"Really proud of our kids' grit and toughness down the stretch," Curry said. "In the third quarter when we got down nine, we took it up to another level. I'm proud of their response to adversity."
A back-and-forth battle in the fourth quarter ensued as both squads traded three-pointers over multiple possessions. Tension in the room continued to build, and was released when Davis nailed an a four-point play with around three minutes left to give Alabama a four point lead, which Alabama would never relinquish.
Davis was the star of the game, as she has been the entirety of the season for Alabama. The senior had 32 points, including an incredible 8-9 shooting from three-point range. Barber was the Alabama's second leading scorer, scoring 15 points.
Up next for the Crimson Tide? The SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. Alabama is likely to play in the 11-seed vs 14-seed game, which will tip off Wednesday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. CT.
"We have plenty of basketball left," Davis said. "We just need to go and win some games."
Final stats
Alabama Seniors Honored at Senior Day
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