Alabama Women’s Basketball Wins the Emerald Coast Classic

NICEVILLE, Fla.- On Tuesday, No.20 Alabama women's basketball secured the title for the Emerald Coast Classic, dominating the Alabama State Hornets 83-33 on Monday and the Clemson Tigers 73-39 on Tuesday.

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The Crimson Tide came in hot during the tournament, quickly establishing a significant lead against the Hornets and building on it throughout the game.

The Crimson Tide opened with a 14-0 run, capitalizing on nine turnovers to score 13 points. By the end of the first quarter, the Crimson Tide had recorded six steals and held a 23-point advantage (26-8) as they entered the second quarter. They finished the first half shooting 50% (16-of-23) from the field and 64% (9-of-14) from beyond the arc, leading the Hornets by 26 points at halftime 46-20.

The Crimson Tide maintained their defensive pressure, limiting the Hornets to single-digits in the first (8), third (7), and fourth (6) quarters. In the final quarter, the Crimson Tide continued to extend their lead, finishing the game with a 15-point surge to secure the 83-33 victory. The Crimson Tide outscored the Hornets 40-10 in points off turnovers, shooting 51% from the field (26-for-51), 34% from the three-point range (8-for-23), and 67% from the free-throw line (23-for-34).

Day two against Clemson revealed several parallels to the previous matchup. Aaliyah Nye hit consecutive 3-pointers early in the game, boosting the Crimson Tide's lead while limiting the Tigers to just eight points (15-8) in the first quarter. Zaay Green led the Crimson Tide with eight points, shooting 4-for-5 in the second quarter.

By halftime, the Crimson Tide had restricted the Tigers to only 14 points, extending their lead to 15 (29-14). In the third quarter, Nye and Sarah Ashlee Barker contributed 15 of the team's 22 points, as the Crimson Tide shot 47% (8-of-17) from the field (51-29). The Crimson Tide added another 22 points in the fourth quarter, securing a commanding 34-point victory (73-39).

The Crimson Tide maintained their lead throughout all four quarters, matching their third and fourth-quarter scoring totals. The Crimson Tide dominated inside, scoring 42 of their 73 points in the paint and outpacing the Tigers 42-20 in that category. The Crimson Tide finished the game shooting 46% overall (30-for-64), 35% from beyond the arc (6-for-17), and 77% from the free-throw line (7-for-9).

With the victory, the Crimson Tide improved to 8-0 on the year and climbed from No.23 to No.20 in the AP Top 25 poll.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Green and Nye earned spots on the All-Tournament Team
•  Green was named the Most Valuable Player of the Emerald Coast Classic
• The Tide’s average margin of victory in tournament games against Alabama State (50 points) and Clemson (34 points) was 42.0 points per game
•  Diana Collins achieved a career-high six rebounds, while Essence Cody recored a season-high nine rebounds
• Weathers matched her career-high with five steals, contributing to a total of 10 steals alongside Barker, who also had five

The Crimson Tide will return to Coleman Coliseum on Dec. 2 to face Georgia State at 11:00 a.m.