TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A strong 27-point third quarter put the No. 23/23 Alabama women’s basketball team in the lead heading into the final stanza before ultimately falling to No. 10/10 Oklahoma, 79-71, Sunday afternoon at Coleman Coliseum. 

For the second straight game, Ta’Mia Scott paced the Crimson Tide (20-6, 6-6 SEC) with 17 points while Jessica Timmons and Ace Austin scored 11 points apiece. Essence Cody grabbed a team-high six rebounds as Karly Weathers (five) and Timmons (five) combined for 10 boards. 

Oklahoma (19-6, 7-5 SEC) was led by Raegan Beers who nearly earned a double-double after scoring 21 points and nine rebounds. 

“I’m proud of our players there in the third, really battling back, with nine deflections. Just thought our defense really changed the game there. We just weren’t able to hold down the fourth [quarter] to a really good Oklahoma team. I think you come in here and you talk about everything we didn’t do, but you have to credit Oklahoma. I thought, down the stretch, they were able to make some shots and we weren’t. 

“I just ask our team to stay positive and embrace hard. You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low, you can’t get too negative, you can’t listen to anything other than each other. This team has a chance to continue to grow and improve. The teams that work through the adversity, and don’t let it work through them, are the ones that’ll be successful here down the stretch. [They are the ones that will] find a way in March and the NCAA Tournament to let every one of these experiences come back to benefit them. 

We just have to continue to stay with it, stay at it and stay positive. There are obviously some things that are very evident that we’re very self-aware of. We need to continue to do better to put ourselves in a position to just finish there in the fourth.”

Game Notes

• Ta’Mia Scott secured a team-high 17 points and four assists, followed by Jessica Timmons and Ace Austin, who each added 11 points
• Austin notched her fifth double-digit game of the season and first since Jan. 25 (10 vs. Mississippi State)
• Diana Collins (nine) and Karly Weathers (nine) contributed to Alabama’s offense, scoring a combined 18 points as Naomi Jones added eight 
• The Crimson Tide turned defense into offense, scoring 15 points off turnovers compared to the Sooners’ nine
• Six UA players came off the bench for the Tide, outscoring Oklahoma’s reserves 21-12
• Alabama shot 28-of-65 (43 percent) from the floor, 9-of-30 (30 percent) from deep and 6-of-8 (75 percent) from the free throw line
• In comparison, Oklahoma shot 34-of-63 (54 percent) from the floor, 4-of-17 (24 percent) from deep and 7-of-12 (58 percent) from the charity stripe

How it Happened

• Alabama matched Oklahoma to begin the contest before the Sooners scored consecutive buckets to jump ahead
• After UA tied the game at 14-14, OU responded with a 7-0 run to close the first quarter up 21-14
• The Sooners built their largest lead of the game early in the second, before Ta’Mia Scott sparked a Crimson Tide run to come within seven points (31-24)
• UA found rhythm throughout the second quarter, but OU’s shooting and 10-point rebounding advantage sent the Tide into the half trailing 45-33
• After Oklahoma built a 14-point lead early in the third (47-33), the Crimson Tide answered with a 13-5 run to cut OU’s lead to 52-46
• UA captured its first lead since the opening quarter, edging ahead 60-58 late in the third frame
• A three-pointer from Ta’Mia Scott cut Oklahoma’s lead to 68-67 midway through the final period
• Alabama stayed within one possession midway through the fourth, but Oklahoma closed the game on a late run to secure the 79-71 victory

Up Next

• Alabama will remain at home on Thursday, Feb. 19, hosting No. 3/3 South Carolina inside Coleman Coliseum 
• The Crimson Tide and Gamecocks are set for a 7:30 p.m. CT tipoff on SEC Network