Alabama Women’s Basketball Versus South Carolina Game Preview

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- On Wednesday, Alabama women's basketball coach Kristy Curry, along with players Zaay Green and Diana Collins, addressed the media to preview their upcoming game against the defending NCAA Champions, the No.2 South Carolina Gamecocks.

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The No.19 Crimson Tide recently secured their first Southeastern Conference road victory over the Ole Miss Rebels, improving their SEC record to 3-1 and overall record to 16-2, placing them fourth in the conference. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are riding an 11-game winning streak, remaining undefeated with a 16-1 record and holding the second position in the conference standings.

The history between the Crimson Tide and the Gamecocks dates back to the 1979-80 season, when Alabama fell 58-47. In their 46 encounters, Alabama has won 15 times, while South Carolina has claimed 31 victories. Notably, the Crimson Tide has not triumphed in the last 22 meetings.

This historic matchup has featured many talented athletes, now including newcomer Zaay Green, who brings experience from her time with the Tennessee Volunteers, where she faced the Gamecocks during the 2018-19 season. "Just be poised and go out and play your hardest; that's all we can ask for," said Green when advising younger teammates as they prepare for the challenge ahead.

Massey Ratings indicate that the Gamecocks hold an 84% probability of victory, positioning the Crimson Tide as the underdogs on their home court. "I’ll be really bluntly honest, you know. I felt like Diana Collins was a big difference maker for us in the second half of Ole Miss. I thought JeAnna Cunningham played extremely well at Ole Miss. We’ve got to have more of a committee. It’s gotta be something, as we continue to move forward without SA [Sarah Ashlee Baker], that we’ve got to have more. We can’t expect Zaay and Aaliyah to do what they did. We can, and we hope they do, but we’ve got to be able to also provide some assistance in some other spots. You know, Essence had a phenomenal second half. So many people have to step up by committee, and I don’t think there’s any secret that our bench has to perform better, has to impact a stat sheet. It doesn't always have to be astronomically; it just needs to be a great screen, waiting on the screen, getting our hands up, our communication. And then, you know, it would help if we can get a bucket, and help if we can get a rebound. It’ll help if we can get a steal, loose ball, hustle play. So I think it has to be by committee. It has to be better, and when it’s better, we’re better," said coach Kristy Curry when asked how the starters and bench must work together for effective play.

With Barker's absence, Collins has embraced a larger role, noting that her teammates have encouraged her to elevate her game since becoming a starter. "I've been pushed to be more vocal and to be more aggressive offensively," Collins remarked.

During Wednesday's practice, Barker was seen participating in light dribbling drills on the sidelines, without a boot. Initially listed as questionable in Thursday morning's SEC injury report, she has been declared out in the 90 minutes before tipoff report.

SEC PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT:

Alabama:

Sarah Ashlee Barker - OUT

South Carolina: 

Ashlyn Watkins - OUT

Career Achievement Watch:

Karly Weathers is just one steal away from reaching 100 career steals

Essence Cody needs four more blocks to hit a 100 career blocks milestone

The matchup between the Crimson Tide and Gamecocks is set to begin at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.