NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s basketball team dropped a 74-66 decision to Alabama at Memorial Gymnasium in SEC action Monday night.
Juniors Sacha Washington and Iyana Moore each recorded 16 points against the Crimson Tide. Washington also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to collect her fifth double-double of the season. Meanwhile, Moore matched her season-best with four 3-point field goals.
The loss drops Vanderbilt’s overall record to 17-6, while the Commodores are now 4-5 in SEC play.
The Dores held an 11-point lead at 52-41 with two minutes left to play in the third quarter. Alabama would go on a 19-2 run from that point, as the Crimson Tide took a 60-54 advantage at the 5:33 mark of the fourth quarter. Vanderbilt pulled to within four points of Alabama down the stretch, but the Commodores couldn’t get over the hump, as Vandy’s losing streak extends to four games.
Vanderbilt shot 39 percent from the field and Alabama connected on 42.6 percent of its shots from the floor. Each team made nine 3-point field goals, while the Crimson Tide outscored Vandy 22-16 in points in the paint. The Dores collected 13 assists on the night, led by Moore’s five helpers. Every Commodore that played against Alabama in Monday’s game scored.
How It Happened
Alabama jumped out to a 9-3 advantage in the opening stages of the first quarter. Back-to-back trifectas from Moore and freshman Aga Makurat pulled the Commodores even at 9-9 at the 4:08 mark of the opening stanza. The two teams traded 3-point baskets before the Crimson Tide closed the frame with two-straight buckets that gave Alabama a 16-12 advantage heading into the second quarter.
Vanderbilt opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 22-16 lead. Freshman Khamil Pierre scored six of Vandy’s 10 points during the spurt. Alabama ended Vanderbilt’s run with a 3-pointer, but the Commodores rolled off eight-straight points from there to push their lead to 12 at 30-18 after a layup from Washington. The Crimson Tide cut Vanderbilt’s lead in half with a pair of 3-point field goals, but the Commodores closed the frame with a Moore 3-pointer that gave Vandy a 33-24 lead going into the locker room.
The two teams traded blows in the third quarter, as Vanderbilt held a double-digit advantage for the majority of the frame. A personal 4-0 run by Washington put the Commodores up 52-41 with 2:13 left to play in the stanza. Alabama closed out the third by rolling off five-straight points to cut Vanderbilt’s lead to six at 52-46 going into the fourth.
Vandy opened the fourth quarter with a Washington layup that put the Dores up 54-46. The Crimson Tide scored 14 consecutive points after Washington’s layup to reclaim a 60-54 lead at the 5:33 mark. Junior Justine Pissott ended the drought for the Commodore with her third 3-pointer of the game to pull Vanderbilt within three at 60-57 with 5:22 left in the game. Alabama scored five-straight points from there to put the game out of reach, as the Crimson Tide picked up a 74-66 win.
Head Coach Shea Ralph on the Result
“In the first half, we were able to lock them up defensively, we were getting 50-50 balls, and we were out rebounding them. We played a little bit tougher than they did in the first half. We didn’t do any of that in the second half. In the end it was toughness. We got out rebounded by seven in the second half. It seemed like every big play they needed, either Sarah Ashlee Barker or Aaliyah Nye made it for them. We have some things to figure out as it relates to toughness and closing out games.”
Up Next
The Dores conclude their three-game homestand Thursday, as Vanderbilt welcomes in the defending national champions, LSU. Tipoff against the No. 9/11-ranked Tigers is set for 8 p.m. and will air live on SEC Network.
Dore Notes
- For the second time this season, every Dore that played scored. Eight different players contributed to Vanderbilt’s scoring
- Jordyn Cambridge’s 60-game steal streak came to an end Monday against Alabama. It was the longest active steal streak in the SEC
- Junior Iyana Moore posted double figures for the fifth-consecutive game with 16 points scored
- It is Moore’s 15th double-digit scoring performance of the season and 36th of her career
- Moore also matched her season high in three-pointers made with four against the Crimson Tide. It is the third time this season she has made four from beyond the arc
- Junior Sacha Washington scored 16 points against Alabama
- It is the 12th time this season that Washington has scored 10 or more points in a game and the 42nd time in her career
- Washington also recorded her fifth double-double of the season, 18th of her career, tallying 16 points and 10 rebounds against the Crimson Tide
- It is the sixth game this season in which Washington has pulled down double-digit boards
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