Alabama has not made much news with their play this season. But coach Stephany Smith got the team in the headlines earlier this week by dismissing senior center Krystle Johnson and junior guard Marverly Nettles, the team's leading scorer.

According to the players, after being benched for Sunday's loss to Georgia, Smith dismissed them without giving them or the remaining team members a reason. They are now asking for help from the administration to find out the reason for their dismissal.

"We were never given an explanation," Johnson said. "We were just told that we were a distraction to the team and (not) the direction she wanted the program to go in. But she's never given an explanation why we were a distraction, and we were never told why we didn't play Sunday."

Johnson and Nettles report that their meeting with Smith was only two minutes and they have not been able to speak to her since their dismissal and they were instructed to discuss any further questions with school administrators.

The dismissals leave nine scholarship players for Alabama, which is 8-14 overall, 2-7 in the SEC, and has lost six consecutive games. Smith is in her first year at Alabama after leading Middle Tennessee State to the NCAA tournament three times in an eight year stint. Her teams made news in 2004 and 2005 for upsets over higher seeds, North Carolina and NC State. Smith's staff includes Saudia Roundtree and Ashley McElhiney.