Wade scores 26, Alabama women beat Vandy in SEC tourney

Mar 6, 2019, 09:15 pm

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Shaquera Wade scored a career-high 26 points and Jasmine Walker added 22 to help No. 11 seed Alabama beat Vanderbilt 74-57 on Wednesday in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Walker was 8-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 3 from behind the arc, and Cierra Johnson finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Alabama. The Crimson Tide (14-16) will play sixth-seeded Auburn in Thursday's second round.

Walker and Johnson scored four points apiece in a 10-0 run that gave Alabama a 22-11 lead with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and Wade scored eight points in the last five minutes of the half, including two 3-pointers, to make it 32-20 at halftime. The Crimson Tide led by double figures the rest of the way.

Alabama, which came in shooting 39.1 percent from the field this season, shot a season-high 53.8 percent (28 of 52).

LeaLea Carter led Vanderbilt (7-23) with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The rest of the Commodores made just 17 of 53 (32 percent) from the field.