TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Jacksonville women's basketball team (4-8) faced off against top SEC contender Alabama (12-2) and fell with a final score of 99-61.

Jacksonville initially lined up well with Alabama in the first quarter, exhibiting a strong 70-percent from the field compared to Alabama's 52-percent. They scored 10 points in the paint to Crimson Tide's six, leading the home team for the initial four minutes of play with a score of 7-4. Newcomer Jada Duckett got the Dolphins on the board first by drawing a foul and splitting at the line. JU top scorer Edyn Battle, Zaria Blake, and Jalisa Dunlap contributed after Dolphins opening points and during the Alabama rally. The two universities then remained even, exchanging baskets for the next two minutes until Alabama took their first lead at 11-9 with 5:37 to go in the quarter. Alabama proceeded to go on a 20-to-6 run, ending the quarter 31-to-15. 

 In the second quarter, Battle attempted to give JU a kick-start, scoring the Dolphins' first six points. However, the Crimson Tide responded with nine points, leaving the score at 40-to-21 with 6:51 remaining. Isamary Telleria, Bre'Yanna Frazier, Duckett, and Dunlap contributed to Battle's surge of 10 points in the quarter, concluding with the score Alabama 53-38. 

The Tide opened the third quarter with a 13-2 run, but then could only outscore the Dolphins by four points in the remaining four minutes of the quarter, resulting in a scoreboard reading of 75-48. Scoring continued to favor Alabama in the fourth period, despite the Dolphins finishing dead even in scoring in the final three minutes of play. The final count resulted in the Tide securing a 38-point lead that they built throughout the course of the night. 

  COACH'S COMMENTS 

"We played hard" said Head Coach Special Jennings. "We dug a hole we couldn't get ourselves out of. It's a great experience for us to continue learning from as we enter conference play."

  UP NEXT 

The Dolphins will continue to face top contenders as they hit the road to compete against the defending national champions, Kim Mulkey, and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. The game is scheduled for Saturday, December 30, and will begin at 7 p.m. Catch the live stream on SECN+. 

NOTEABLE NUMBERS 

• Edyn Battle Scored 16 points while shooting 61.5 percent, leading all Dolphins 

• Kyshonna Brown was the second leading scorer with nine 

• The Dolphins had nine steals in the game 

• Four Dolphins shot 100-percent from the free-throw line (Fraizer, Brown, Garrett, Dunlap 

• Jada Jones led the Dolphins with five rebounds 

• Sana'a Garrett finished with four rebounds