Links associated with this release:
Box Score
Photo Gallery
|
Women’s Hoops Advance in SEC Tourney 3/2/2006 |
|
| Caroline Williams |
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A powerful second-half run led the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team to an impressive 84-62 win over Alabama Thursday in the opening round of the 2006 Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament at ALLTEL Arena.
Freshman Christina Wirth scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Commodores. Three other Dores hit double-figures, including Carla Thomas (15), Cherish Stringfield (11) and Liz Sherwood (10). Freshman Jennifer Risper has a career-high eight points and nine assists.
A bright spot for the Crimson Tide was Lauren Hill, who led all scorers with 24 points.
Vanderbilt connected on 6-of-9 three-pointers, including three by Stringfield, to outscore Alabama, 47-26, in the second half.
In a close first half, Thomas scored the team’s first eight points before a Sherwood lay-up got the rest of the Commodores involved.
Vanderbilt took its first lead of the game at the 8:40 mark when Williams found Davis streaking the lane for an easy bucket off an inbounds play. But Alabama would fight back, and had the chance to gain the lead at halftime with a pair of free throw opportunities. Both charity tosses would go astray, however — a sign of things to come for the Crimson Tide.
Vanderbilt (20-9) will face third-seeded Georgia in Friday’s quarterfinal round. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:50 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by FSN South.