03/21/26 03:55:00
Printable Page
03/21 15:54 CDT Timmons, Cody lead Alabama past Rhode Island 68-55 for NCAA
Tournament win in 1st round
Timmons, Cody lead Alabama past Rhode Island 68-55 for NCAA Tournament win in
1st round
By STEVE BITTENBENDER
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) --- Jessica Timmons scored 21 points and Essence Cody
added 19 as Alabama beat Rhode Island 68-55 Saturday in the first round of the
women's NCAA Tournament.
The Crimson Tide (24-10) won a first-round tournament game for the third
straight year by shooting 53.2% (25 of 47) and dominating inside, outscoring
the Rams (28-5) 42-12 in the paint.
Other than Brooklyn Gray's 3-pointer on the Rams' first possession,
sixth-seeded Alabama led throughout the first half. The Tide outscored Rhode
Island 14-1 over the first 7:26 of the second quarter to build a 30-14 lead.
Defense played a big role in Alabama's run as Rhode Island went just 1 for 19
over an 11-minute stretch in the first half. That included missing eight
3-point attempts and committing a pair of shot-clock violations.
The Rams, seeded 11th, closed out the first half on a 9-1 run and cut Alabama's
lead to eight points at the break.
Cody drew her third foul just 72 seconds into the second half, sending the
6-foot-4 junior to the bench for nearly the remainder of the quarter. Rhode
Island closed within four points three times in the third before the Crimson
Tide used a 12-0 run to pull away.
Timmons scored eight of her 11 third-quarter points during the run.
Palmire Mbu and Ines Bebroise each scored 11 points for the Rams, who shot
32.8% (19 of 58).
Up next
Alabama will host Louisville in a second-round game on Monday, with the winner
advancing to Fort Worth, Texas.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and
coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
|
