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SEC WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT - 1ST ROUND - Bon Secours Wellness Arena - Greenville, SC
Vanderbilt7-23, 2-14 SEC
Alabama14-16, 5-11 SEC
Alabama beats Vandy, advances to second round
Alabama continues to fight through adversity
Wade's career day lifts Alabama to opening-round win
Harper celebrates Pat Summitt's career
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Shaquera Wade scored a career-high 26 points and Jasmine Walker added 22 to help No. 11 seed Alabama beat Vanderbilt 74-57 on Wednesday in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Walker was 8-of-10 shooting, including 3 of 3 from behind the arc, and Cierra Johnson finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Alabama. The Crimson Tide (14-16) will play sixth-seeded Auburn in Thursday's second round.
Walker and Johnson scored four points apiece in a 10-0 run that gave Alabama a 22-11 lead with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and Wade scored eight points in the last five minutes of the half, including two 3-pointers, to make it 32-20 at halftime. The Crimson Tide led by double figures the rest of the way.
Alabama, which came in shooting 39.1 percent from the field this season, shot a season-high 53.8 percent (28 of 52).
LeaLea Carter led Vanderbilt (7-23) with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The rest of the Commodores made just 17 of 53 (32 percent) from the field.
Points L. Carter - 14 S. Wade - 26
Rebounds M. Fasoula - 10 C. Johnson - 10
Assists C. Hall - 4 C. Johnson - 5
Steals B. Alexander - 2 T. Berry - 4
Blocks M. Fasoula - 2 A. Copeland - 3
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