The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UNLV
Men's Basketball Falls To UNLV, 84-75
11/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Marcus Banks had 30 points along with five steals and four assists to lead UNLV past UAB 84-75 Wednesday. The Blazers had a three-point lead at the half; however, the Runnin' Rebels outscored them by 12 (48-36) in the second half.
Banks, who had six rebounds, was 8-for-11 from the field including 3 of 6 from 3-point range. UAB (2-1) was lead by freshman Demario Eddins who scored 15 points in the contest. Morris Finley and Gabe Kennedy each had 14 points, while freshman Richard Jones came off the bench to add 11.
Dalron Johnson added 15 points for UNLV (2-0), 13 in the second half, and eight rebounds.
UNLV made 17 of 31 (54.8-percent) field goals in the second half versus the Blazers' 13 of 28 (46.4-percent). The Rebels took the lead for good, 60-58, on a field goal from Banks with 9:19 left in the game. They later stretched the lead to nine five different times.
"I told our guys that it doesn't matter if we win or lose, just as long as they give me their best effort each night, and that's what our guys did tonight," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "I am not a moral victory type of coach and I am disappointed in the loss, but at the same time, our guys gave a very good team a hard time on their home floor. There were several times tonight when we could have folded, but we kept battling and never gave up."
The Rebels, who outrebounded UAB 41-31, were 18 of 25 from the free-throw line, while the Blazers were 8 of 11.
UAB jumped to a 16-8 lead to start the game, its largest of the contest. But the Rebels went on a 24-7 run to build their largest lead of the half at 32-23 with 5:53 until halftime. The Blazers then responded with a 10-0 spurt to tie the game before leading at the break.
The Blazers will next be in action on Sunday, December 1, at 3 p.m. against West Alabama at Bartow Arena. The game will be the top half of a doubleheader as the Lady Blazers will play immediately following the men's game.
