Alabama Athletics
Alabama Women’s Basketball Stuns No. 9 Mississippi State With Fourth-Quarter Comeback
The Alabama women’s basketball team put up more than a fight against No. 9 Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon in Starkville, Miss., beating the Bulldogs 66-64.
An 11-0 run in the fourth quarter sparked a comeback that ultimately ended right at the buzzer with sophomore guard Megan Abrams sending a layup into the net in the final seconds, pushing Alabama to the win.
Junior forward Jasmine Walker led the Crimson Tide with her 20 points. Walker also finished the game with four rebounds and one assist.
“I’m just so happy for our kids and that’s what it’s all about,” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said. “There’s nothing better than getting a big road win and seeing our players get to celebrate. They’ve been so close all season against really good teams and we’ve just been right there.
"Anytime you can come out on the road in a hostile environment, in front of a big crowd which is great for women’s basketball, and get a win, it’s great for our kids who absolutely deserve it.”
Junior guard Jordan Lewis started things off hot for the Crimson Tide after draining a 3-pointer. Mississippi State responded with eight points before senior guard Cierra Johnson interrupted with two free throws, decreasing the Bulldogs lead 8-7. Mississippi State ended the first quarter with a 19-11 lead.
Johnson drained a 3-pointer which was directly followed with a 3-pointer from Lewis. Junior forward Ariyah Copeland secured a layup to decrease Mississippi State’s lead 35-24. Sophomore guard Hannah Barber ended the second quarter with a three-pointer. Alabama trailed Mississippi State 37-27 at the half.
Lewis knocked down another three-pointer at the start of the third quarter which was followed with a 3-pointer from Walker. A jumper by sophomore guard Brittany Davis decreased the Bulldog’s lead 45-40. Walker drained her second 3-pointer of the quarter to make it a two-point game with Mississippi State in the lead, 47-45. The Bulldogs were the last to score in the quarter, ending with a 51-45 lead.
Alabama entered the fourth quarter with some energy. Walker went on a 10-point run to put Alabama behind by two points, 58-56. A layup by Abrams tied the game 62-62 with 2:28 left in the game. Senior forward Ashley Knight knocked down a layup to give Alabama the one point lead, 64-63. A free throw from the Bulldogs tied the game 64-64 with five seconds left.
However, Abrams then drained the final buzzer-beater layup for Alabama, and the win.
Alabama travels to Texas A&M on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT.
