Dec. 30, 2008

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The women’s basketball team defeated Ball State 81-75 in the championship game of the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum. Four Tide players scored in double-digits, led by sophomore forward Tierney Jenkins with a season high 23 points. With the win, Alabama moves to 11-3 on the year. The Tide has won five in a row for the first time since Nov 2, 2002 when Alabama rattled off six consecutive victories. Ball State drops to 7-5 for the season.

Junior guard Dedrea Magee was named tournament MVP and Jenkins made the all-tournament team. Ball State’s Porshia Green and Audrey McDonald, Belmont’s Jessica Bobbitt and Richmond’s Brittani Shells rounded out the all-tournament team.

“We played well,” said head coach Wendell Hudson. “I thought in the first half we played probably as well as we can play. Defensively, we really got after Ball State and did a great job. We put together a complete half. We didn’t put together a complete half in the second half, but the good thing about it is this team tough. We had some shots that didn’t go in the basket in the second half that we would have liked to have made, but at the same time the team never quit, never gave up. I can’t say enough about this basketball team right now.”

Jenkins led all scorers with 23 points and pulled down 10 boards, marking the second double-double of the season for her. Sophomore guard Alyson Butler and Magee both scored 13 for the Tide, while sophomore guard Varisia Raffington contributed 10 points. Junior forward Danielle Gratton led Ball State with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Two three pointers by Raffington helped Alabama gain momentum and grab an early lead at 13-9. Butler drained one of her three three pointers of the night around the seven minute mark to give the Tide a 26-14 lead. Freshman guard Ericka Russell connected on a jumper with three minutes to go in the half then earned an assist on a Jenkins layup to give Alabama the 17-point lead at 40-23. Sophomore guard Daleisha Carn made a jumper at the six second mark to put the Tide in front by 18 at the break.

In the second half, Alabama maintained the lead until the Cardinals went on a 15-0 run to cut their deficit to one point at 65-64. The Tide responded with five straight to regain momentum. Jenkins scored on a layup and a jumper to make it 74-68. Two free throws by Magee finished the game at 81-75.

Alabama shot 47 from the field while shooting 54 percent from behind the arc. Sophomore guard Alyson Butler made 3-of-4 from the three-point line The Tide bench outscored Ball State’s reserves 52-12.

Alabama will play its final contest before entering Southeastern Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 3 when it travels to take on Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, La. Tipoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. (CST).

Alabama Head Coach Wendell Hudson

On the victory today:
“We played well. I thought in the first half we played probably as well as we can play. Defensively, we really got after Ball State and did a great job. Then we shot the ball really well. We put together a complete half. We didn’t put together a complete half in the second half, but the good thing about it is this team tough. Ball State came back and cut the lead to one, the team never faltered and kept making plays to push the lead back out. I’m proud of the way this team was able to play.”

On setting the tone early in the first half:
“Defensively I thought we did great job. Of course, we shot the ball well also. We thought we were shooting 75 percent in the first half, but it was actually closer to 50. When you shoot the ball that well and play defense it keeps the other team from getting good shots. We did that; we worked hard. We played 11 people in the first half, and everybody got out there and did their part, but you know as a coach when you’re playing a good team and everything is going your way that it might not be that way in the second half. Today it didn’t. We had some shots that didn’t go in the basket in the second half that we would have liked to have made, but at the same time the team never quit, never gave up. I can’t say enough about this basketball team right now.”

On the play of Tierney Jenkins:
“Tierney played great. Some of the things that she did on the defensive end won’t even show up on the stat sheet like being in good help position and things like that. That line is a great line for anybody; 10 rebounds, 23 points, 9-15 shooting, four steals, no turnovers. That’s a great line, and we had some other players step up and really play well too.”

Alabama Junior Guard Dedrea Magee

On making a shot after Ball State cut the lead to one point:
“I thought I was open at first, but after I went up I landed on her. She came down and fouled me, so I guess she was a little closer than I thought. I just took it up with confidence and it went in and got the and-one.”

On the importance of the three-point play after Ball State cut the lead to one point:
“I really wasn’t paying too much attention to the scoreboard. I just tried to see how much time we had left in the game. We were up by about three with 3:00 minutes left, so we tried to take care of the ball and get good shots.”

On being MVP of the Crimson Tide Holiday Classic:
“I’m honored. I really wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Alabama Sophomore Forward Tierney Jenkins

On her performance today on both ends of the court:
“Yesterday I didn’t feel like I played that well, and my mom and Coach Evans sat me down and told me to step up to the plate and play better because I’m not a freshman anymore. I wanted to start on the defensive end. That’s where my focus has been this year, and I was just doing everything I could to help us win. That was the key. I haven’t won a championship in a really long time so I really wanted to win.”

On the team’s attitude when Ball State cut the lead to one point:
“We just had to go out and play. Whatever we were doing to get the lead and build the lead, that’s what we needed to do because obviously we were doing something right. You can’t panic; you have to stay calm and do what you were doing before, and don’t rush.”