The Bulldogs’ Week: A Masterclass in Defense, Followed Immediately by a Masterclass in "Oh No, They Can Shoot"
If you are a fan of Alabama A&M Women’s Basketball, this week was the emotional equivalent of eating a delicious, gourmet meal and then immediately biting into a lemon.
We had the highest of highs. We had the "wait, what just happened?" of lows. We had a defense that looked like the '85 Bears, and then a second quarter that looked like... well, let’s just get into it.
Sunday: The "You Shall Not Pass" Edition
On Sunday, the Bulldogs hosted Miles College and apparently decided to revoke the Golden Bears' shooting privileges.
AAMU won 77–55, but the score doesn't tell the whole story. The story is that Alabama A&M held Miles without a field goal for 10 minutes. Ten! I can watch an entire episode of Bluey and make a sandwich in ten minutes. Miles went that long without seeing the ball go through the hoop.
The Bulldogs built a 26-point halftime lead while Miles shot 21% from the floor. It was rude, frankly.
Kalia Walker decided she owned the free-throw line, going 11-for-11 from the stripe on her way to 16 points. She didn't just visit the line; she set up a tent, started a campfire, and lived there. Aniya Palmer and Kayln Ervin added 10 points each, and the bench dropped 43 points. Everyone ate. It was a party.
Wednesday: The "First Quarter Tease"
Then came Wednesday night at Minnesota.
For the first 10 minutes, I was ready to book my tickets to the Final Four. The Bulldogs were scrappy! They were energetic! Rakiyah Beal was hitting threes! AAMU trailed the Big Ten’s Golden Gophers by just one point (17–16) at the end of the first quarter.
I was texting my friends: "We are back! Build the statue!"
And then the second quarter happened.
Minnesota apparently remembered they were playing at home and decided to shoot lasers. They outscored the Bulldogs 30–7 in the second frame. They shot 70%. Seven-zero. I don't think I hit 70% when I’m tossing balled-up paper into the trash can next to my desk.
The final was 82–44. It was a tale of two quarters: The "We Can Hang With Anyone" first quarter, and the "Please Make It Stop" second quarter.
Bright Spots (Because I’m an Optimist)
Despite the tough L in Minneapolis, Rakiyah Beal tied her career high with 12 points, so shoutout to her for keeping the offense alive. Jaida Belton grabbed eight boards and fought in the paint like her rent was due.
And hey, the Bulldogs are 3-7, but they’ve won back-to-back home games (before the road trip). The bench is deep, the defense can be elite (see: Sunday), and Kalia Walker hasn't missed a free throw since the Carter administration.
And let’s talk about Shelomi Sanders.
She checked in and wasn't shy about letting it fly. In 17 minutes of action, she put up 8 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including draining two three-pointers (2-of-6). She also grabbed a rebound, because you have to crash the glass even when you have the Sanders surname. That’s confident shooting against a Big Ten defense—we love to see the green light being used.
The Sanchez Verdict
Sunday proved this team can suffocate you on defense. Wednesday proved that Big Ten teams are tall and shoot well. Science!
The Bulldogs are back home next Wednesday to face North Alabama. Let’s hope we get the "Sunday Defense" and the "Wednesday First Quarter Offense." If we combine those, we’re unstoppable.
Sanchez out.
