TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sophomore guard Shaunice Reed (Seattle, Wash.) dropped 17 points as Alabama A&M (0-1, 0-0 SWAC) fell by a 98-51 score at Southeastern Conference foe Alabama (1-0, 0-0 SEC) in both teams' season opener in an NCAA Division I women's basketball game on Monday, November 7.
 
Reed was near perfect at the foul line, going 10-of-11 for a large part of those 17 points along with four boards to pace the Bulldogs while junior guard Darian Burgin (Cincinnati, Ohio) just missed a double-double with 10 points and seven caroms. Junior guard Taylor Smith (Fosters, Ala.) added nine points and three rebounds and freshman forward Asianae Nicholson (South Euclid, Ohio) hauled in seven boards in just 16 minutes.
 
The Crimson Tide would assert themselves from the very start as they scored the first 11 points on their way to a 20-5 lead by the 2:38 mark. Alabama would then put together a 9-3 stretch to close the opening period with a commanding 29-8 advantage.
 
Following a triple by Brittany Davis to open the second, A&M would find their footing as they would play their in-state SEC foe nearly even the rest of the period, being outscored just 18-16. From the 9:44 mark to 1:33 remaining they would outscore them 16-10 to cut the gap to 42-24 before Davis drained back-to-back treys to key an 8-0 run that made it 50-24 at the break.
 
Alabama would score nine of the first 10 points of the third quarter to make that an overall run of 17-1 and extend to a 59-25 lead with 7:43 to play. Following that surge, however, the Bulldogs would score 15 of the next 29 points to cut it to 73-40 entering the fourth.
 
Another strong start to a quarter, this time 16-2 over the first 5:10, then keyed the Crimson Tide's final push as they closed out the 98-51 victory.
 
Davis exploded for 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting, 7-of-10 of that from beyond the arc, along with five rebounds while Jada Rice just missed a double-double with nine points, eight boards and three blocks. They were joined by JaMya Mingo-Young with 10 caroms and six points and Karly Weathers and Megan Abrams with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
 
Alabama A&M remains on the road as they head to Thibodeaux, Louisiana for a non-conference meeting with Nicholls State. That game is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 13.