Alabama women’s basketball dominates Arkansas on Thursday to win improve to 4-4 in conference play

Alabama women’s basketball put on a defensive clinic in Thursday’s win against the Arkansas Razorbacks, 86-70, despite a late scare from Arkansas. Alabama’s 85 points was the highest in SEC play all season.

The Crimson Tide played its most complete game of the season against the Razorbacks most of the way until Arkansas went on a 26-2 run late in the third quarter and nearly the full fourth quarter, but Alabama was able to survive by going on a late 6-0 run.

Alabama had five players in double-figures scoring for the first time all season. Sarah Ashlee Barker led the way for Alabama with 25, followed by Karly Weathers with 16, Aaliyah Nye with 15, and Jessica Timmons and Essence Cody with 12 apiece.

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Here are three takeaways from the game between Alabama (17-6, 4-4 SEC) and Arkansas (16-7, 4-4 SEC):

Barker continues her stellar scoring

Coming off a career game against Kentucky with 34 points and 10 rebounds, Sarah Ashlee Barker continued her historic scoring run in Fayetteville scoring 11 first half points, leading all first half scorers.

Barker finished the game with 25 points and 11 rebounds, recording her second double-double in as many games.

Barker is the first Alabama player to get 20+ points in back-to-back games all season.

Alabama returns to its defensive identity

Alabama played one its best defensive halves of the season in the first half holding the Razorbacks to just 25% shooting from the field.

Despite the lack of forced turnovers, the Crimson Tide allowed just two points in the paint, while making every shot as difficult as possible for Arkansas from each part of the court.

Alabama also held Arkansas to a season-low six points in the second quarter, giving them a 43-25 lead at halftime.

Weathers provides a spark

Karly Weathers was ubiquitous for Alabama on Thursday, hustling up and down the court and rebounding the ball off the bench at a high level.

Weathers was also able to score affectively on Thursday night along with a season-high 16 points shooting 4-for-6 from three-point range. Weathers was able to get 10 rebounds and four assists as well, joining Sarah Ashlee Barker with a double-double herself, but her impact on the game went beyond just the numbers against the Razorbacks.

Weathers’ double-double was the first of her career.

Up next:

The Crimson Tide travel to Nashville to face the Vanderbilt Commodores in Memorial Gymnasium on Monday, Feb. 5 (6 p.m., SEC Network).