
Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball Gets the Upset Against Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The Vanderbilt Commodores entered Coleman Coliseum on Sunday priming with confidence after their victory over the No.17 Tennessee Volunteers on Jan. 19. Aiming to end a decade-long losing streak against Alabama, the Commodores achieved a thrilling 66-64 win, marking their first Southeastern Conference road victory of the season.

In the opening quarter, Sarah Ashlee Barker set the pace for the Crimson Tide, scoring six points within the first three minutes. The two teams exchanged baskets, each refusing to yield. The Commodores led at the first media timeout (15-13), but the Crimson Tide surged back, to take a 19-15 lead.
The second quarter saw the Crimson Tide extend its lead to six points before the Commodores fought back, reclaiming the lead with less than five minutes left in the half (26-25). However, the Crimson Tide regained momentum, closing the half with a 9-1 run to lead 34-27 at the break.
The Commodores came out strong in the third quarter, launching a 12-0 run over the final 4:43 to regain control of the game at 44-41.
The Commodores extended their lead to six points in the fourth quarter, but a late rally by the Crimson Tide, spearheaded by Barker and Zaay Green, narrowed the gap to just one point at the media timeout (57-56). After exchanging baskets for two minutes, Barker's fastbreak layup tied the game at 60 with two minutes remaining. The Commodores then converted their next four free throw attempts and added a layup to secure a narrow victory at 66-64.
“Just disappointed today. I appreciate the great environment and a great group that came out to support us today. We hope they'll be back here next Sunday. The game of basketball can teach us a lot about ourselves and it's always about our response. We have an opportunity to learn a lot from this, but credit a really good Vanderbilt team. I think Shea Ralph is one of the best young coaches in the country. I have great respect for her system and style of play, her integrity and how she goes about it. She is one of my favorite people in the business, and I guess if we couldn't get the win today, at least I'm happy for her because they've worked really hard and did a really good job today. They're playing good basketball with the win over Tennessee and now the win here on the road, so credit to those players. They did a really good job today and I’m just disappointed that we weren't able to make a few plays down the stretch and get a stop or two here and there. We missed a couple of easy baskets late. We just have to finish plays that they were able to and we weren't,” said Kristy Curry following the loss.
Next, the Crimson Tide will head to Lexington, Kentucky, to face the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday, with the game scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- Sarah Ashlee Barker was the standout performer, scoring a career-high 36 points on 15-of-21 shooting (71%).
- Alabama recorded assists on 14 of their 27 field goals during the game. The tightly contested matchup featured eight lead changes, with Alabama leading at halftime before Vanderbilt surged ahead in the third quarter, limiting the Crimson Tide to just seven points.
- Alabama dominated in the paint, outscoring Vanderbilt 44-30. The Crimson Tide shot 52% from the field (27-of-52), 29% from 3-point range (5-of-17), and 86% from the free-throw line (13-of-17).
- In contrast, Vanderbilt managed 34% shooting from the field (23-of-68), 25% from beyond the arc (4-of-16), and 76% from the charity stripe (16-of-21).
- Mikayla Blakes and Khamil Pierre were key contributors for Vanderbilt, combining for 45 of the team's 66 points, with Blakes scoring 33 and Pierre achieving a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Alabama's Homecoming Shut Out of Missouri
Gallery Credit: Wyatt Fulton
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