BIRMINGHAM — Returning senior guards Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye dished on all things Alabama women’s basketball at SEC Media Day on Tuesday.
During press conferences at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Barker, Nye and coach Kristy Curry were quick to acknowledge the elephant in the room.
Their historic preseason ranking.
From there, the trio preferred to talk about everything Alabama is bringing to the floor to keep working its way up throughout the 2024-25 season.
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Here are five things we learned about the highest billed women’s team to come out of Tuscaloosa since 1998:
JeAnna Cunningham stepping up for Alabama women’s basketball
Nye comes back for her final year as the top returning 3-point shooter in the country, hoping to keep a new audience’s eyes locked in on women’s college basketball as she steps into the shoes of her predecessor, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
Meanwhile, Nye said another member of Crimson Tide has “stepped into her role.” Fellow grad student JeAnna Cunningham came off the bench in all 34 games last season, tying a career-best 12 points and reaching a career-high 21 minutes to see Alabama defeat Florida. Based on the 6-foot-5 center’s offseason growth, Nye said to expect “a lot more” from Cunningham in the coming months.
“She’s really just trying to help this team out,” Nye said.
Who on the team is Sarah Ashlee Barker’s mini-me?
Look no further than freshman guard Chloe Spreen. Seeing glimpses of herself when the four-star recruit makes mistakes, Barker said the newcomer reminds her of herself back when she was a freshman at Georgia.
“I would get frustrated or down on myself a little bit, just because you just kind of want to come in and be perfect, and so that’s how she is. But one thing that I love about her is just how she’s so competitive,” Barker said.
“She wants to be great. She truly tries to learn from us upper classmen and she just comes in every single day working hard.”
Freshmen impressing returning veterans with versatility
Spreen isn’t the only new kid on the block turning heads among the veterans. Barker commended her mini-me’s IQ for the game, while Nye complimented her passing skills.
Nye said she’s “impressed by all” the freshmen, but singled out 5-11 guard Eris Lester, a four-star from Montverde Academy, first.
“Eris’ athletic ability is out of this world,” Nye said. “She can touch the rim. She can dunk, so I think that’s very cool.”
New coaches bring fresh feel to Alabama women’s basketball
Alabama basketball has a new team mom, and she’s on the staff. Kind of.
When asked how new additions to the staff like Pauline Love have changed the program, it didn’t boil down to the Xs and Os. Although Nye noted that she’s seen an improvement as the former Arkansas assistant coach has worked with post positions.
Instead, it was all in the name for Alabama’s latest assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I think Coach P just brings a different type of energy and a different type of love to us. Like she’s always holding the camera, asking us questions, so she definitely makes it fun,” Nye said, also shouting out strength and conditioning hire Kevin Markle.
How the Crimson Tide built chemistry over the summer
The team is having fun on the hardwood, but is making time to when it’s away from the court, too.
Alabama returns eight players from last season’s run to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Still, there are six new faces in the locker room. To avoid divide in a world where every player wants minutes, members of the Crimson Tide, new and old, spent the offseason keeping calm and lounging by the pool.
Barker and Spreen’s friendship blossomed by the water especially, both finding laughs as they built their bond through a shared love for tanning.
With three freshmen and three additions from the portal like Zaay Green, Nye and the team took advantage of their downtime knowing that chemistry comes in the summertime.
“Just being around each other all the time … walking them through plays, or just helping them with anything they need,” Nye said. “So when we get into school and into the season, they’re very comfortable.”
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
