Women's Basketball Tops Vanderbilt for Alabama's best league record in 25 Years

Five players reached double figures as the Crimson Tide lock up having back-to-back 20-win seasons.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama women's basketball defeated the visiting Vanderbilt Commodores on Thursday night, 88-70, and in the process reached numerous milestones. 

Among them: 

• Alabama recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2016-17 and 2017-18 and second time under head coach Kristy Curry.
• It reached the 20-win milestone during the regular season for the first time since 1997-98.
• The win was the ninth victory in Southeastern Conference play, the first time the Crimson Tide had done so since 1997-98.

Aaliyah Nye led the Crimson Tide with 17 points on 6-for-14 shooting from the field, including 5-for-13 on 3-pointers. Nye was one of five Alabama players to reach double figures and one of three players to score at least 14 points, accompanied by Brittany Davis and Hannah Barber, who had 16 and 14 points, respectively. 

Megan Abrams also reached double figures for the first tome since the New Year's Day game against Tennessee. She finished with 10 points. 

Vanderbilt's Sacha Washington had a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. Ciaja Harbison and Marnelle Garraud added 18 and 14 points, respectively, but that was the bulk of the scoring for the Commodores.

Alabama will play its next two games on the road, at Mississippi State on Sunday (4:30 p.m., SEC Network+), then at Florida next Thursday.

FINAL - Alabama 88, Vanderbilt 70

Fourth Quarter

• Abrams makes the layup in transition and draws the foul. She makes the free throw, giving her 10 points and an 88-65 lead 

• Alabama calls a timeout with 1:58 to go. Score is 85-63

• Loyal McQueen commits her second foul. Nye comes in for Davis

• Karly Weathers nails a 3-pointer ahead of the media timeout. Every Alabama player has now scored tonight. Score is 82-58 with 4:29 to go

• Brittany Davis and Karly Weathers check in for McQueen and Barker

• Sarah Ashlee Barker makes both free throws. She is the fourth Alabama player in double figures

• Abrams gets fouled on the drive. She makes both free throws, making the score 73-52 Alabama

• Megan Abrams and Jada Rice sub in for Cobbins and Davis

• Hannah Barber makes the and-1 free throw, giving her 14 points tonight.

• Media timeout is called after Vanderbilt's Sacha Washington was hit in the head

• Vanderbilt will have the first possession of the quarter

Third Quarter

• Nye Checks in for Barber after Barber got leveled by a screen

• Hannah Barber reaches double figures with her third 3-pointer of the game

• Barker is called for a charge, her third personal foul

• Barker returns for Nye

• JeAnna Cunningham and Loyal McQueen sub in Barker and Cobbins

• At he first media timeout, Alabama leads 54-42. Brittany Davis and Aaliyah have five and six points in the quarter, respectively

• Aaliyah Nye draws a charge against Vanderbilt's Sacha Washington, her first

• Ryan Cobbins comes in from Jada Rice

• Sarah Ashlee Barker picks up her third foul

• Third quarter begins with a turnover by Alabama

HALFTIME: Alabama 40, Vanderbilt 34

• A lot of what the Crimson Tide built in the first quarter was lost in the second quarter, namely with turnovers and fouls

• Vanderbilt's Sacha Washington leads all scores with 14 points, with 12 of those coming in the second quarter

• Brittany Davis was hot during the first quarter, scoring nine points. However, Davis went 0-for-4 in the second quarter

Second Quarter

• Vanderbilt's Washington hits a layup as time expired

• Weathers comes in for Nye after Nye is called for her second foul

• Cobbins comes back in for Rice

• McQueen comes in for Barber after Barber picks up her second foul

• Abrams and Rice come in for Barker and Cobbins

• Score is 35-25 Alabama at the media timeout. Vanderbilt has outscored Alabama 15-8 so far in the second quarter

• Cobbins comes in for Rice as Aaliyah Nye picks up her first foul

• Davis and Barber sub in for McQueen and Weathers

• Rice and Barker return for Davis and Cobbins

• Alabama will have the first possession, where Nye scores her first basket

First quarter  - Alabama 27, Vanderbilt 10

• Davis misses the technical free throw

• Karly Weathers subs in for Megan Abrams after Abrams suffers an injury. She was taken to the back for further evaluation.

• Loyal McQueen and Ryan Cobbins sub in

• Abrams' layup makes it a 10-0 run for Alabama as Vanderbilt calls its second timeout. Score is 22-5 Crimson Tide

• Megan Abrams comes in for Aaliyah Nye as Hannah Barber picks up her first foul

• Brittany Davis draws a foul. She makes both free throws, making the score 14-5 Alabama

• Jada Rice gets fouled while attempting a layup. She misses both free throws

• Davis has scored seven of Alabama's 12 points to start the game. Vanderbilt calls a timeout, score is 12-2 Alabama

• Sarah Ashlee Barker is called for her first foul

• Brittany Davis hits her first 3-pointer to open up the scoring

• Vanderbilt wins the opening tip

Pregame

• Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT

• Vanderbilt will only have eight active players tonight

• Referees for tonight:
• Brian Hall
• Katie Kukanich
• Saif Esho

• Starters for tonight's game:
• Sarah Ashlee Barker 
• Hannah Barber
• Brittany Davis
• Aaliyah Nye
• Jada Rice