The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
South Florida
UAB out-guns USF, 85-71
1/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Twins Ronell and Donell Taylor combined for 34 points to lead UAB to a 85-71 victory over USF on Saturday night Ronell Taylor scored 19 points and Donell Taylor added 15 for UAB (15-5, 5-2 Conference USA).
The win was the second of the season for UAB over the Bulls. The Blazers won, 62-61, on Jan. 8, in Tampa, Fla.
""I thought at times that there were spots when our guys played very, very well," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "I thought there were times when our defense was very stifling. We caused 28 turnovers and they only shot 38 percent. I told the guys that that was good to see for a change. We've had other teams shoot for a better percentage against us, but they were short-handed tonight."
USF was playing without leading scorer Terrence Leather, who was suspended for the contest by USF head coach Robert McCullum for disciplinary reasons.
Marvett McDonald scored 11 points and Marques Lewis had 10 for the Blazers. The game was played before a season-high 8,183 fans at Bartow Arena on Mike Anderson Bobblehead Doll night.
"To a large degree I think the turnovers, for us, is the storyline of the game," McCullum said. "That was probably the single biggest area of concern. I thought the one thing we could do more than any other was limit our turnovers. That's saying a lot any time you play UAB. That's what they do, that's what they do well and we weren't able to do that. Half of their points came off turnovers."
Collin Dennis scored a game-high 25 points to lead South Florida (8-10, 1-6). Brian Swift had 20 points and Marlyn Bryant added 12 for the Bulls.
Most of South Florida's scoring came from its backcourt, but the Bulls' guard struggled handling the ball. South Florida finished with 28 turnovers against UAB's pressure defense as the Bulls lost their fifth game in a row.
UAB led 42-32 at halftime and still held a 10-point margin 7 minutes into the second half.
McDonald hit a 3-pointers and Ronell Taylor hit a layup and a pair of free throws to spark at 10-0 UAB run, giving the Blazers a 65-45 lead with 11:42 remaining and they were never threatened the rest of the way.
UAB next travels to Milwaukee, Wisc., on Wednesday to face Marquette in a 7 p.m. CT contest. The Blazers' next home contest will be next Saturday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. CT when they host 12th-ranked Louisville.
