Sarah Ashlee Barker leads No. 23 Alabama women to an 80-60 victory against Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. — In an impressive display, Sarah Ashlee Barker recorded 19 points and matched her personal best with 12 rebounds, contributing significantly to No. 23 Alabama’s commanding 80-60 victory over Mississippi State on Sunday.
Barker also notched eight assists and four steals for the Crimson Tide, who have improved their record to 20-5 overall and 7-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Notably, all of her double-doubles this season have been achieved in the last two games.
Essence Cody was another standout for Alabama, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots. Zaay Green added 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists to the solid performance. Meanwhile, Aaliyah Nye, fresh off a stellar outing where she scored 27 points on a school-record nine 3-pointers against Florida State, managed to record 12 points with three steals after hitting only 2 of her 7 shots from beyond the arc.
For the Bulldogs, Debreasha Powe led the team with 14 points, including two successful 3-pointers. Madina Okut, the SEC leader in field goal percentage and ranking third nationally at 67%, converted 6 of 9 attempts to finish with 12 points. Additionally, Destiney McPhaul contributed 10 points off the bench.
Alabama began strong, scoring the first 10 points and closing the first quarter with a 26-11 lead, aided by the efforts of Nye and Karly Weathers, who hit two 3-pointers.
Cody was flawless in the first half, scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting, contributing to a first-half shooting percentage of 60% for the Crimson Tide. Despite Powe’s nine points, Mississippi State struggled significantly, making just 9 of 31 shots for a dismal 29% completion rate in the first half. Barker then sparked an explosive 12-0 run, helping to elevate the lead from 16 points to 45-17. By halftime, she had already accumulated 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, guiding her team to a commanding 47-22 advantage.
Looking ahead, Mississippi State will face No. 24 Vanderbilt on Thursday, while Alabama will take a break before hosting Texas A&M on February 17.