BIRMINGHAM – If you want to know who Aja Sims is, watch her perform on the floor exercise. The University of Alabama senior gymnast’s routine is her in a nutshell.

When she is out there, all eyes on her, she’s in her element. Not only that, she draws the entire crowd into her world, and on Sunday, she left fans wanting more since she was the last competitive performance in Legacy Arena.

“The fact that I get to close it out is pretty awesome,” Sims said. “I get to finish at home and bring it home. That’s what I like to say.”

Sims’ routine was the final nail in Auburn’s coffin, as Alabama won, 195.85 to 194.675, in the third-annual Elevate the Stage meet. She scored a 9.975, which broke down into a 9.95 and 10 from the two judges. It was the first 10 Alabama has been rewarded this season.

The score also marked a new career-high for Sims, fitting since that is her favorite floor routine ever.

“She has put so many hours into the preparation of every fine detail – the looks, the faces, the hands, the personality,” UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. “That routine has so much character, and it’s just beautiful to see the judges are rewarding her for that.”

Alabama excelled on the floor in general. Sims wasn’t alone. Junior Kiana Winston, who went right before Sims, scored a 9.95. Freshman Maddie Desch earned a 9.9 to redeem herself after falling on a tumbling pass two days prior at Arkansas. Both marks tied and set new career-highs for Winston and Desch, respectively.

The 49.575 on the event tied for the second-highest floor score in the nation so far and marked a season-high for Alabama. Its previous high was the 49.375 at home against LSU.

“To go out there and finish it on a high note was the icing on the cake,” Winston said. “I didn’t know where we were going into the floor. I didn’t know where we were throughout the whole meet to be honest.”

Perhaps it was a good thing Winston didn’t know. The Crimson Tide was down by an entire point after the second rotation, then trailing by 0.8 after the third rotation.

Things started looking rough for Alabama while on the uneven bars. Freshman Shea Mahoney fell during a transition to get a 9.05.

“When that first fall happened, you feel it,” Duckworth said. “But you don’t really say anything.”

It didn’t stop there.

Immediately after, Sims slipped off the bars and finished with a 9.1. Then, Winston, Alabama’s only all-around competitor, tipped the wrong way during a circle skill and had to get off to reset herself. She received a 9.35.

The Crimson Tide made a 47.85, the lowest it has scored on the apparatus since Jan. 14, 2011 when it earned a 47.625 against Arvkansas.

“You can’t let that take you down,” Desch said. “You have to use that as motivation, carry the speed and keep it going.”

Which is exactly what the Crimson Tide did.

Alabama didn’t comeback to win on its own. Auburn helped out with that, as it had three gymnasts fall on the balance beam. The momentum switch halfway through.

“Well, if they wanted a show, I think they got one,” Duckworth said.

Scores

VAULT

Keely McNeer: 9.775

Wynter Childers: 9.825

Kiana Winston: 9.85

Maddie Desch: 9.825

Nickie Guerrero: 9.75

Katie Bailey: 9.925

UNEVEN BARS

Keely McNeer: 9.8

Shea Mahoney: 9.05

Aja Sims: 9.1

Amanda Jetter: 9.775

Katie Bailey: 9.825

Kiana Winston: 9.35

BALANCE BEAM

Keely McNeer: 9.8

Wynter Childers: 9.875

Maddie Desch: 9.75

Aja Sims: 9.75

Kiana Winston: 9.925

Nickie Guerrero: 9.875

FLOOR EXERCISE

Nickie Guerrero: 9.875

Mackenzie Valentin: 9.875

Katie Bailey: 9.85

Maddie Desch: 9.9

Kiana Winston: 9.95

Aja Sims: 9.975