How Good is this Alabama Women's Basketball Team? We're About to Find Out

Crimson Tide women's basketball set to face three straight ranked opponents, the first two on the road

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kentucky, South Carolina and Georgia. 

That constitutes a murder's row in women's basketball this season, as Alabama gets to face all three over the next week. 

The nasty trifecta begins Friday when Alabama visits No. 15 Kentucky in Rupp Arena on Thursday (5 p.m., CT, SEC Network).

On Sunday, it travels to No. 4 South Carolina (2 p.m., SEC Network). 

The Crimson Tide subsequently hosts the team that ended its season last year, No. 22 Georgia (6 p.m., SEC Network).

So it's a tough stretch, but Alabama does have a number if things working in its favor. 

The Crimson Tide is tied for fourth in the Southeastern Conference with a 12-2 overall record and 5-2 mark in league play. One of those wins was against then-No. 14 Mississippi State. 

Alabama currently ranks 28th in the NET with a 5-2 record against teams ranked in the top 100. The two losses were against then-No. 3 South Carolina and No. 13 Tennessee in the NET.

As a team, the Crimson Tide is ranked in the top 40 nationally in scoring, assists, rebounds, three-point field goals made, attempted and per game and in the top 25 nationally in all three free-throw categories.

Alabama is also the only team in the SEC, and one of only three nationally, with three players averaging 15 points or more: Jasmine Walker 19.6, Jordan Lewis 17.1 and Ariyah Copeland 15.0.

Walker, who also averages 10.1 rebounds, leads the league in three-point makes, attempts and per game. 

Lewis has started every game she’s played in since she arrived on campus in 2016 (116 games). She's the SEC’s active leader in assists and is No. 4 in career steals, No. 5 in career points and No. 12 in career rebounds.

The Wildcats are under the direction of first-year head coach Kyra Elzy, who took over for Matthew Mitchell following his retirement on Nov. 11, 2020.

Kentucky is led by National Player of the Year candidate Rhyne Howard, who averages 19.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest, while Chasity Patterson, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Midseason Watch List member, tops the nation in steals (4.0 per game).

As a team, Kentucky is averaging 76.1 points per game and 10.1 steals. Meanwhile, Alabama’s 76.6 point-per-game average is the highest average it has had in nearly two decades.

However, working against the Crimson Tide is that Kentucky has won nine-straight games in the series. The last time Alabama defeated Kentucky at home was on Jan. 23, 2014, 57-55.

Some naysayers would argue that those numbers might give Alabama a snowball's chance at Kentucky. 

Maybe it does ... 

Sn❄️w glad it’s almost game day! #GritAndGratitude #RollTide pic.twitter.com/78oPUFdTy2

— Alabama Women’s Basketball (@AlabamaWBB) January 28, 2021