Nov. 16, 2001

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- - Alabama scored 18 points in the first four minutes of the game behind three 3-pointers by Beth Vice and never looked back as the Crimson Tide defeated Samford, 96-44 at Coleman Coliseum Friday night. The Crimson Tide shot 70.4 percent in the first half and put five players in double figures for the game led by Shondra Johnson with 17 points. Giovanni Price led the Bulldogs with 11 points. Samford fell to 0-1 while Alabama improved to 1-0.

Vice made all four of her three-pointers in the first half - three of them coming in the first 1:52 of the game. Alabama opened the game with an 18-0 run. Price hit a three-pointer with 16 minutes left in the first half for Samford's first points of the game to make it, 18-3 but Alabama went on a 13-3 run to lead 31-6 with 10:37 left in the first half.

Samford outscored the Crimson Tide 18-15 in the final 10 minutes of the first half to make the score, 56-24 at halftime.

The Bulldogs forced Alabama into foul trouble in the second half. Samford made 12-of-22 free throws in the second half but was 4-of-25 on field goals. The Bulldogs shot just 21 percent for the game. Alabama finished the game shooting 57.8 percent and 50 percent from behind the arc.

"I think this group at the beginning of the game was a little shell shocked and we didn't execute. However, I think this group will bounce back. That's the one good thing about youth. Young players will bounce back and get ready for the next game. This game immediately tells me who's going to compete and fight," Samford head coach Janet Cone said. "The first thing you got to learn about your players is who's going to compete. That's how you build programs."

Samford shot 56.3 percent from the free-throw line in the game. Freshmen Morgan Vickery and Lindsey Harris each scored eight points for their first career points as Bulldogs.

Samford will play its first home game of the season Tuesday when it hosts Southern Mississippi at 7 p.m. in Seibert Hall.