What's in store for Texas women's basketball team in the SEC? Alabama has an idea.
Last week, the Texas women's basketball team won the championship at the Big 12 Tournament. The Longhorns won't get to defend that title next year.
After spending 28 seasons in the Big 12, Texas will soon move to the Southeastern Conference. What should the Longhorns expect in the SEC? For starters, that conference is the home of two teams, LSU and South Carolina, that have won the last two national championships.
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Eight SEC teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament. That included eighth-seeded Alabama, which defeated Florida State on Friday and will play Texas on Sunday at Moody Center.
On Thursday, Alabama's Kristy Curry and Aaliyah Nye were asked about playing in the SEC and how that prepared the Crimson Tide for the NCAA Tournament. Nye, who ranks third nationally in made 3-pointers, has spent the past two seasons at Alabama after starting her career at Illinois. Curry has won more than 500 games while coaching at Purdue, Texas Tech and Alabama since 1999.
Alabama senior guard Aaliyah Nye
"Playing in the SEC is tough. It takes a lot of grit," Nye said. "I came from the Big Ten, and I can tell you the SEC is more fast-paced and physical. I think it just prepares us for the NCAA Tournament, playing other teams, because I feel like we are the most physical conference. We're competitive. We're gritty. I think just playing in the SEC just makes you a better person and a better player all around."
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Alabama coach Kristy Curry
"Well, life in the SEC is there's no day off," Curry said. "At the end of the day we feel like our schedule, night in and night out, it's certainly a little different. I've been blessed to be in the Big Ten, to be in the Big 12, now to be in the SEC for 11 years. They're all amazing leagues, but also different styles of play. Different physicality. All are really special in their own way.
"I feel like our players will be prepared because there's not a day off. So the challenge that our league presents, the preparation, the execution of the game plans, the different styles of play. I think with Florida State, they're extremely talented in transition. When you look at the SEC, it's a transition league, an easy basket league, put-backs on the offensive glass."
Texas is 2-0 all-time against Alabama. The two teams last played in 1984.
A No. 1 seed, Texas (30-4) will play Drexel (19-14) on Friday afternoon before the matchup between Alabama (23-9) and Florida State (23-10) at Moody Center.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: As Texas prepares to move, Alabama discusses playing basketball in SEC
