TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -Pauline Love is 1-0 as the head coach of Alabama women's basketball.
The Crimson Tide led for 35 minutes against Queens in its season opener, pulling ahead five minutes into the game and never looking back. Alabama dominated wire to wire en route to a 92-56 win to start the 2026-27 season.
"I know how much this meant to our girls," Love said. "We put them through the wringer this summer, and it paid off, so I'm just extremely proud."
A pair of Ace Austin turnovers and a missed Alabama layup allowed Queens to jump out to a 5-1 lead in the opening minutes. The teams then traded a couple of baskets before DePaul transfer Alayna West came up with a steal that set Tianna Chambers up for a transition layup to give Alabama a 9-8 lead at the 4:20 mark.
That bucket came on the front end of a 31-6 extended Crimson Tide run that left the game all but over by the midway point of the second quarter. Austin settled in, draining a pair of threes and controlling the flow of the game as the primary ballhandler, ending the first half with three assists.
The size difference became quickly apparent, as Queens was outrebounded 29-18 through 20 minutes and Alabama walked into the break with a 47-20 lead. The team also scored 21 second-chance points, a promising number for Love, who has made rebounding a focal point all offseason.
"We're going to be the smallest team in the SEC, and those second-chance points are going to mean a lot to us," Love said. "So we've got to be able to create those moments... Get in there and battle and get the rebound."
Things slowed down in the third quarter. Alabama shot just 5-for-15, and the Royals actually outscored the Crimson Tide 16-13. The game had already been long decided, but Love's team certainly came out a little flat, coasting off its lead.
That changed in the final period, as Alabama pieced together a 13-2 run and made five of its nine shots over the first three minutes. Boston College transfer Amirah Anderson drained a pair of triples, ending the night with 14 points.
Anderson was one of five players to score in double figures for the Crimson Tide. Austin scored 15 points with seven rebounds and four assists in her first game as the true face of the program. If anyone stole the show, it was Kylie Torrence, a Cincinnati transfer who put up team highs of 16 points and nine rebounds.
"That kid is relentless on the boards," Love said of Torrance. "The first thing I noticed is her rebounding ability. We just knew we needed to have a little bit more control offensively, but rebounding is effort, and that's what that kid has. And so we knew that she was going to be a special piece to what we were trying to get out of this team."
All in all, it was a dominant opener for the Crimson Tide, and a night to remember for Love, who was presented with a commemorative basketball by Athletic Director Greg Byrne postgame. Alabama will be back at Coleman Coliseum two more times this week, hosting New Orleans on Wednesday and Alabama A&M on Thursday before heading on the road to face Tulane on Sunday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Alabama Women's Basketball Opens Pauline Love Era With Dominant Win Over Queens .
