Alabama women’s basketball scores ninth consecutive win over Auburn
By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Grace Brister
It may have been Super Bowl Sunday, but in Tuscaloosa, it was the Iron Bowl of women’s basketball.
Alabama faced Auburn for the 99th time in its women’s basketball program history. The Crimson Tide won 69-46 to improve its record to 19-6 overall and 8-4 in Southeastern Conference play. Alabama now holds a nine game winning streak which is the longest for either program’s history.
Alabama head coach Kristy Curry said that rivalry games are hard, especially in the SEC.
“So much can happen, but I thought our kids were really disciplined in their approach and preparation,” Curry said. “I thought we came out and moved our feet, (and) stayed out of foul trouble. It’s such a a physical game every time we play Auburn, and I thought our kids just weathered their runs, stepped up and kept ours a little longer.”
Alabama graduate student guard Brittany Davis led Alabama with 18 points and a season-high of 17 rebounds. Davis said that SEC play is a physical competition.
“Coach always tells you, when it gets hard, keep going, go harder,” Davis said. “So that’s just what I did today, just went harder to help the team.”
The Auburn Tigers lead the overall season history record 52-47 but in the month of February, both Alabama gymnastics and Alabama men’s basketball have wins over Auburn. Junior guard Sarah Ashlee Barker said that the Tide have to live up to that expectation.
“I think it means a lot,’ Barker said. “Not just one team specific for the university, even soccer has won, football, you want to own the state, and I think that we’ve just done that this year. It’s pretty fun honestly. ”
“I think it just becomes contagious,” Curry said. “That’s what the expectation always is. I think when you see someone else do it, it just infuses you with energy and passion to go do it for them. They did it for us, now it’s up to what, tennis and softball? We’ll be out there cheering those guys on, baseball, (too.) So, We take a lot of pride in it, to represent the front of our chest.”
The Crimson Tide will host SEC rival Vanderbilt Thursday. The game will be at 6:00 p.m. at Coleman Coliseum.
