KATY, Texas - The Alabama women's basketball team opened the 2023 Betty Chancellor Classic with a 78-73 upset victory over No. 20/15 Louisville Friday afternoon. By earning its first win over an Associated Press Top-25 team since the 2021-22 season, the Crimson Tide remains undefeated at 6-0 on the season.

Guard Aaliyah Nye came up clutch by scoring seven of her 12 total points in the final 30 seconds, including knocking down a go-ahead three-pointer with 27 seconds remaining. Nye also hit all four of her free throws, part of the Tide's 6-6 free throw attempts across the game's final 16 seconds to secure the win.

Sarah Ashlee Barker led the way with a game-high 18 points to go along with seven boards before fouling out of the game with 1:27 left in regulation. Nye and Barker were two of five UA players to reach double figures, the duo along with Jessica Timmons (14), Karly Weathers (13) and Loyal McQueen (12) combined to score all but nine of the Tide's 78-point total.

The Cardinals (4-1) were led by Nyla Harris scoring 18 points and collecting eight rebounds.

Game Stats

• The last time Alabama beat a top-25 opponent came on Feb. 17, 2022, when the Tide defeated then-No. 12/8 Tennessee, 74-64, in Coleman Coliseum
• It marks the fourth time under head coach Kristy Curry that Alabama has started with 6-0, and the first since doing so to at the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign
• It was a back-and-forth contest that featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, with the Tide leading 25:53 of the contest compared to 3:54 for Louisville (game was tied for 10:13)
• Sarah Ashlee Barker led the game with 18 points, 14 of which came in the second half, while Loyal McQueen scored 10 of her 12 points after intermission
• Barker and Jessica Timmons each led the Tide with seven boards on the day while Loyal McQueen finished with a team-leading four assists
• Karly Weathers connected on a season-best three treys, hitting 3-4 from beyond the arc
• The Tide shot 48 percent (26-54) from the floor, 38 percent (9-24) from deep and 71 percent (17-24) from the line
• In comparison, Louisville shot 41 percent (27-66) from the floor, 21 percent (3-14) from deep and 67 percent (16-24) from the charity stripe

How It Happened

• Alabama came out of the gate hot, hitting 4-8 shots from beyond-the-arc in the opening period
• The Tide's bench outscored the Cardinals 17-8 in the first half, helping UA a 5-point lead, 38-33, heading into the break
• Karly Weathers led Alabama at the half with 11 points off the bench, going 3-of-3 from deep
• After struggling from the floor through most of the third period, Alabama finished strong by converting on its last four field goals to take a three-point lead headed into the final frame
• Alabama went 8-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter

Next Up

Alabama will have a quick turnaround as it faces Gonzaga in game two of the Betty Chancellor Classic, inside the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs will tipoff at 1:15 p.m. CT and can be viewed on ESPN+