LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) 鈥� Alabama has a chance to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in nearly 30 years when they face Louisville in the second round of on Monday.
The Crimson Tide haven’t made it that far since 1998.
鈥淲e have a program that every sport is good,鈥� senior Jessica Timmons said Sunday. 鈥淲e want this time to be for women鈥檚 basketball, and I think this will be proven this year.鈥�
Getting there means sixth-seeded Alabama (24-10) must beat Louisville (28-7), a team that in December. The Cardinals have all 12 Sweet 16 berths under coach Jeff Walz as one of six programs to reach the regional semifinals at least 10 times since 2011.
Coach Kristy Curry said the Crimson Tide must 鈥渂e Bama.鈥� That means win the rebounding battle limiting second-chance looks and avoiding turnovers leading to fast breaks.
Alabama played against its tendencies in beating in the first round. The Crimson Tide attempted a season-low 10 3-pointers but had their best overall shooting performance in a month at 53.2% (25-for-47).
Walz isn’t changing his game plan against Alabama, which beat three AP Top 25 teams this season.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to do the best you can to play one-on-one defense, try to keep them in front of you, and make them score over you,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淩hode Island was really trying to turn the heat up some, which was, I think, making Alabama drive more, and they did a great job of finishing.鈥�
The relatively few 3-pointers weren鈥檛 the only difference for Alabama in its win. Junior Essence Cody scored 19 points in the first round making a trio of 3s.
Laura Ziegler said the third-seeded Cardinals will respect the 6-foot-4 post player鈥檚 perimeter abilities but not overthink things. Cody averages 11.7 points a game for second making more than 60% of her inside shots this season.
鈥淚 think whenever you go into a game like that, you also look at what would be the most dangerous, like, what are you expecting?鈥� Ziegler said. 鈥淵ou see a little bit over more games than just that one.鈥�
The 6-2 Ziegler has been a key leader for Louisville, transferring to the Cardinals after three seasons with St. Joseph鈥檚. A three-time All-Atlantic Conference 10 honoree, she became Walz’s floor leader earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors on a team with several talented sophomores.
Ziegler is one of three Cardinals averaging more than 11 points a game. Tajianna Roberts called her Danish teammate 鈥渁 pressure release鈥� on the court, helping get the ball up the court.
鈥淏ut off the court she has taught me to be a leader in so many different ways,鈥� said Roberts, the sophomore guard and Louisville’s leading scorer with 11.4 points a game. “I don鈥檛 know if she knows it, but I鈥檓 going to take what she has taught me to next year.鈥�
Hey there!
The Cardinals easily in the first round with sophomore Mackenly Randolph scored a career-high 20 to lead the third-seeded Cardinals and matched her career-high with 11 rebounds.
The 6-foot forward has four career double-doubles, all in the Cardinals鈥� last five games. Walz called her style of play as 鈥渂ully ball,鈥� with Curry describing the daughter of 17-year NBA star Zach Randolph as a 鈥渕atch-up nightmare,鈥� especially on transition.
鈥淪he infuses them with the energy and just brings a lot of toughness and grit,鈥� Curry said. 鈥淚 think they鈥檙e really good around her. I mean, obviously, their versatility and depth as a team is what their size really impresses me鈥� We鈥檝e seen this type of size consistently. We need to draw from our experiences of competing in the SEC.鈥�
On the line
The winner gets a trip to Fort Worth 3 Region for a game Saturday against second-seeded Michigan, a North Carolina State on Sunday.
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