The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Richmond
UAB Falls To Richmond, 96-81
12/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2004
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Junior Jermaine Bucknor scored a career-high 22 points and Richmond exploded for 59 second-half points Friday night as the Spiders defeated UAB 96-81.
The 96 points is the most the Spiders have scored under third-year coach Jerry Wainwright.
Richmond (4-3) hit 22 of 32 field goals in the second half and took the lead for good, 62-60, on Patrick O'Malley's 3-pointer with 10:41 remaining. Another 3 by O'Malley gave the Spiders an 88-77 edge with three minutes left, and the Blazers could get no closer than 9 the rest of the way.
"I thought our kids played together and made the extra passes when they needed to," Wainwright said. "You have to play against UAB because they make you play. They're going to make you play. It's pressure, pressure, pressure. I thought we took the pressure and attacked it the right way. I'm proud of our kids. This was a big ball game for us."
The Blazers (5-2) led 39-37 at halftime, capping a 16-6 run with a 3-pointer by Marvett McDonald just before the buzzer.
"I'll tell you what ... it was one of those championship nights for Richmond," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "They shot the ball extremely well. There were times when we were really guarding them and they stepped up and made big, big shots. That's life on the road, though."
Richmond reserve Daon Merritt scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half, and O'Malley scored all of his 13 points in the second half. Jamaal Scott added 13 and Kevin Steenberge 10.
"Our guys were trying hard but it just wasn't there tonight," Anderson added. "A lot of that has to do with the fact that Richmond is a very good basketball team. They had that extra kick tonight and that's what won the game."
Junior Demario Eddins led the Blazers with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. Ronell Taylor scored 18 points, 15 in the first half, and twin Donell Taylor scored all of his 11 points after the break. McDonald added 10 for UAB.
Led by Merritt and O'Malley, the Spiders' bench outscored the Blazers' reserves 45-24.
