Alabama
Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. (01/28/2026) — The No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide overcame an early deficit to secure a commanding 68-53 road victory over the No. 23 Georgia Lady Bulldogs at Stegeman Coliseum on Wednesday night.
How It Happened
Georgia stormed out of the gate, building a 20-12 lead after the first quarter in front of their home crowd of 2,281. The Lady Bulldogs controlled the initial pace and looked poised for an upset. However, the Crimson Tide flipped the script in the second quarter, outscoring Georgia 19-8 to take a narrow 31-28 lead into halftime.
Alabama's defense was the story of the second half, stifling the Georgia offense and holding them to just 33% shooting from the field for the game. The Crimson Tide steadily built on their lead throughout the third quarter before pulling away decisively in the final frame. Alabama outscored Georgia 15-6 in the fourth quarter to seal the crucial SEC win.
Turning Point
The game's pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter. Alabama used a suffocating defense to fuel a decisive 12-2 run that stretched over five minutes, pushing their lead into double digits. The Crimson Tide's defensive pressure completely shut down the Lady Bulldogs, who failed to score a point in the final 6:11 of the contest, missing their last 11 shots from the field.
Star of the Game
Essence Cody was the standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In her first road game since returning from an injury, Cody led all scorers with 16 points on an efficient 6-for-7 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. It marked her 10th double-digit scoring game of the season.
Four Alabama players scored in double figures. Ta'Mia Scott added 13 points, while Karly Weathers contributed 11 points, a team-high eight rebounds, and five assists. Jessica Timmons also chipped in with 10 points and eight boards. For Georgia, Mia Woolfolk led the way with 13 points before fouling out, and Rylie Theuerkauf scored 11. Alabama's defense successfully contained Georgia's leading scorer, Dani Carnegie, holding her to just six points.
What It Means
This victory marks a significant road win for the Alabama Crimson Tide (19-3, 5-3 SEC) against a ranked conference opponent. It also extends their winning streak over the Georgia Lady Bulldogs to five games, the longest in the history of the series.
For the Georgia Lady Bulldogs (18-4, 4-4 SEC), the loss snaps a three-game winning streak and highlights offensive struggles against a top-tier defense. After a strong start, the inability to generate points in the second half, particularly in the final quarter, proved to be their undoing.