title image via AAMU Basketball
Courtesy of Aliyah McDaniel | Assistant Athletics Communications Director
The Alabama A&M women’s basketball team opened their regular season by making history as it recorded the highest attendance that the AAMU Event Center has seen in a women’s game. Senior guard Kalia Walker paced the Bulldog offense with 13 points in the 84-59 loss to the No.24 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Thursday night’s headlining contest made notched another AAMU Event Center first, as the Crimson Tide were the first Southeastern Conference (SEC) women’s team to be hosted in the arena.
Senior Alisha Wilson led the defense with 12 rebounds, two steals and one block. AAMU held the Crimson Tide to just 15 points in the fourth quarter, while the Maroon and White had it’s best scoring quarter, with 21 points.
UA saw four players in double figures, with Sarah Ashlee Barker leading the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals. University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff transfer Zaay Green added 14 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Crimson Tide.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Alabama A&M played front of the largest crowd inside the AAMU Event Center for a women’s game
- The Crimson Tide led by as many as three for the first four minutes, but a jumper from Wilson gave the Bulldogs the lead going into the first media timeout (11-10)
- The contest tied at 14 all before the Crimson Tide went on an 8-1 run to end the first quarter, ahead 20-15
- UA extended its lead to seven before going on a 13-0 run with 2:30 remaining in the half
- Walker added six more points by way of three-pointers to send the game to the break, with the Crimson Tide ahead 46-25
- Kourtney Rittenberry scored the first five points for the Bulldogs in the third quarter, but UA ballooned their lead to 61-30 after an 8-0 run with six minutes remaining
- The Crimson Tide led by 31 going into the final frame
- AAMU outscored the Tide 21-15 in the fourth quarter, paced by Tia Harvey’s five points
GAME NOTES
- Alabama A&M shot 33.9 percent (19-of-56) from the field and 35.7 percent (16-of-26) from the free-throw line
- The Bulldogs grabbed 33 rebounds
- Kalia Walker recorded 13 points, two rebounds and one assist
- Darian Burgin added 10 points and led the team with five assists
- Alisha Wilson paced the Bulldogs defensively, nabbing 12 rebounds and two steals
- The Bulldogs finished with 19 bench points, 24 points in the paint and 13 second chance points
- The Crimson Tide shot 56.5 percent (35-of-62) from the field and 46.2 percent from the line (6-13)
- AU grabbed 36 rebounds (24 Defensive)
- Sarah Ashlee Barker recorded 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
- Zaay Green contributed 14 points, six rebounds and two steals
- The Tide finished with 22 bench points, 54 points in the paint, 29 points off 20 AAMU turnovers, 11 second-chance points and 20 fastbreak points
UP NEXT
The Alabama A&M Bulldogs will see their first road test by way of the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Tip-off is slated for Noon (E.T) and will be live streamed on ESPN+. Saturday’s contest will be the first time the Bulldogs and Eagles have faced off on the hardwood.
