Alabama Women’s Basketball Versus Texas Longhorns Preview

AUSTIN, Texas - The No.18 Alabama Crimson Tide is set to play at Moody Center on Thursday night for their first Southeastern Conference road game of the season against the No.5 Texas Longhorns.

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Ahead of the contest, the Crimson Tide saw an increase in their ranking in the latest AP Top 25 Poll released on Monday, moving up from No.19. The Longhorns have fluctuated between the fourth and sixth spot since the second week of the season.

The two teams share a storied history, with their first encounter on Nov. 26, 1993, resulting in an 82-56 defeat for the Crimson Tide. They faced off again on Dec. 7, 1984, the Crimson Tide lost 85-53. Their most recent clash occurred on Mar. 24, 2024, the Crimson Tide fell 65-54, ending their run in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

Despite the loss, the Crimson Tide concluded one of their strongest seasons with a 24-10 overall record and a 10-6 mark in SEC play.

Currently, the Crimson Tide is enjoying a historic start to the 2024-25 season, boasting a 14-1 record and a 2-0 start in SEC play, their best SEC start since the 2003-04 season.

A victory over the Longhorns would mark another significant achievement, as it would be their first win against the Longhorns in history.

"The takeaway is just for our returnees to understand the arena, understand the setup. But, I mean, they're a different team. We're a different team. I know they returned four or five starters," said coach Kristy Curry during a media session on Tuesday evening, reflecting on the challenge of playing in the Longhorns environment.

She elaborated, saying, "You know, we returned a lot of players. We've added some new pieces. They've got an outstanding freshman class. You know, we've got a good freshman class too, and then we both have transfers and have dealt with some injuries. So I think it just comes down to our older players  understanding [their roles] . It'll be a great home court advantage for them. We faced that in March. So, what did we not do well that we can take into this game? There are some things we did not do well, and there are some things that this current team needs to understand are really going to matter, like attention to detail. The ability to take care of the basketball, the ability to not give them many looks. 50% of their points come from second chance points. They're leading the country in free throw attempts at 26 and making 19."

Vic Schaefer, a two-time National Coach of the Year, boasts a 109-32 record in his four seasons with the Longhorns. The 2024-25 season marks his 20th season as a head coach and 40th overall in coaching. "They execute; they run so many different sets. Vic does an unbelievable job offensively of making you pay, and he’ll pick on a matchup and they’ll throw the ball, and go at you. Our communication, first and foremost, has to be exceptional. Then we have to understand player tendencies. Our bench has to come in and do a better job with that. I think it’s going to be really important. Then you’ve got to defend the glass. They’re [Longhorns]  at 50% in getting their own misses. That’s where their scoring comes from. So that means every two shots that they miss is a put-back and a score. We’ve got to box out and we’ve got to gain rebounds. All five have to make a difference. Diana, Zay and Aaliyah can’t be caught watching. They’ve all got to get in the paint-10 feet in the paint-and pursue the basketball," said Curry regarding Schaefer's ability to use certain techniques to win.

Texas has outscored its opponents 506 to 175 in points off turnovers this season, averaging 31.6 points per game compared to 10.9 for their rivals. The Longhorns are averaging 25.5 forced turnovers per game, including 27 against Oklahoma and 25 against Arkansas. This season, the Longhorns have converted 310 free throws, while their opponents have attempted 289, giving the Longhorns a +102 advantage in free throws made. In NCAA rankings, the Longhorns stand fifth in field goal percentage (49.5), first in free throws made per game (19.38), fourth in scoring offense (90.8), third in turnover margin (12.06), and seventh in offensive  rebounds per game (17.3).

"If we don't do our work early, we're going to be in big trouble," said Curry about the importance of a strong start.

The matchup between the Crimson Tide and Longhorns is set for 7:00 p.m. CT at Moody Center, available for streaming on SEC Network+.