One-two Punch of Nye, Green Deliver First-Round Win for Alabama Women's Basketball

Zaay Green and Aaliyah Nye were a one-two punch for the Alabama women’s basketball team on Saturday in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Green led the No. 5 seed Crimson Tide with 22 points, including 14 in the first half, while Nye led all scorers with 23 points, including three big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, as Alabama topped No. 12 Green Bay, 81-67, in College Park, Maryland.

Alabama will face No. 4 seed Maryland or No. 13 seed Norfolk State in the second round on Monday.

Sarah Ashlee Barker, the Crimson Tide’s leading scorer, had just two points at halftime and finished with nine. Top rebounder Essence Cody picked up her fourth foul in the first two minutes of the third quarter and spend most of the second half on the bench.

That forced Green to step up and lead the way in the first half, scoring 14 points.

Alabama led 19-17 at the end of the first quarter, with 12 points coming off turnovers. Alabama held Green Bay to two field goals in the second quarter, including zero in the final five minutes to take a 38-29 lead into halftime.

The Crimson Tide couldn’t shake loose from Green Bay, the Horizon League champions, in the second half. Every Crimson Tide offensive burst was answered, and the lead was trimmed to five in the fourth quarter.

That’s when Nye went to work. She hit three big 3-pointers, including her 109th of the season, a school single-season record.

"I'm just blessed to be part of this program and this team that's able to get me the ball and put me in those positions," Nye said. "I think just being consistent throughout this whole year and the whole time I've been here has led me to that."

She wasn’t a huge factor in the first half, but made her presence known in the second.

“I knew it was coming," Alabama coach Kristy Curry said. "We just kept telling them to shoot it. No hesitation. I thought what really opened things up, though, is when -- Essence was able to get some easy baskets and have a presence in the paint and she draws so much attention. Obviously you know, play inside-out and take what's there."

Even without the presence of Cody under the basket, Alabama scored 40 points in the paint, dominating Green Bay inside. The Crimson Tide outrebounded the Phoenix 43-27 with Christabel Ezumah and Karly Weathers each grabbing 10. Weathers also had 10 points.

"We want to take another step forward than this group was able to take a year ago, and I think you just have to credit our elder kids today," Curry said. "It was two really mature play-from-the-front-of-their-chest teams. It was an amazing battle, and it's kind of a slugfest back-and-forth, right. So a lot of toughness and grit, both teams, fortunate that our runs were a little bit longer and tough and grittier."

This story will be updated.

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