Coming into Tuesday’s game, the Alabama women’s basketball team was shooting about 19 3-point shots per contest, making nearly seven of them.
The Crimson Tide thrived behind the arc in its 59-47 win against Stetson at Coleman Coliseum.
The Crimson Tide made 18 field goals, but only six were scored from inside 20 feet. It made 12 of its 29 attempts from 3-point range with senior Shaquera Wade hitting a team high 4 of 5.
“I knew that we were sharing the ball and sharing around, so I just took the open shot,” Wade said. “I was feeling it, and my teammates just kept getting me the ball… I was working on it in shoot around.”
Wade finished with 14 points to lead all scorers. She was one of three Crimson Tide players to finish in double figures.
Freshman guard De’Sha Benjamin continued her strong play off the bench, scoring 13 points. She was 3 of 6 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers. Cierra Johnson also finished in double digits with 10 points. She added six assists and six rebounds, both season highs.
Defensively, the Crimson Tide played well against the Hatters leading scorers, Sarah Sagerer and McKenna Beach, holding the two to a combined 30 percent.
Alabama built a 12-point lead at the half, but Stetson started off the third quarter quickly with an 8-0 run.
“We kind of became comfortable,” coach Kristy Curry said. “They kind of took away the three after that, and we didn’t do a very good job of getting the ball inside out.”
Wade was the difference maker in the third quarter. She hit three of her four 3-pointers in the quarter. Alabama made just two other field goals in the quarter.
Stetson tried to answer the Crimson Tide’s pace from behind the arc, but Alabama’s perimeter defense held the Hatters to just 26.7 from deep. The only player that made much of an impact for the Hatters from 3-point range was Addi Walters, who made four of the team’s eight attempts.
Alabama closed the game out from the free throw line, making its last four attempts. It finished shooting 73.3 percent from the line, which is its third highest this season.
Junior point guard Jordan Lewis missed her third-straight game with a knee injury. Curry said that is still day-to-day.
Alabama hits the road of the Arizona State Classic on Saturday. It plays Tulsa in the first game of the Classic.
