The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Chattanooga
UAB Drops Non-Conference Matchup to Chattanooga, 70-63
11/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team attempted to make a comeback in the second half, but fell short as it lost the non-conference matchup with Chattanooga on Monday evening in Bartow Arena, 70-63.
Junior Diamond Rogers led UAB in scoring and set a new career-high with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including a trio of baskets from three-point range. Rogers also chipped in a pair of assists and rebounds, as well as matching her career-high in the steals category with three.
The Blazers hung in there with Chattanooga during the majority of the first half as the score was tied four times and the lead changed hands on six different occasions. UAB held as much as a three-point lead on at two different times during the first half, with the last one coming at he 12:02 mark on a layup by senior Shimena Moore. The Lady Mocs took command of the game and went up by 11 at the half, 43-32, which was their largest lead of the game.
UAB came out in the second half and trimmed Chattanooga's lead to two points, led by Rogers with back-to-back three's, with 16:53 remaining in the game. The two teams battled back-and-forth as the Lady Mocs kept trying to pull away from the Blazers, but UAB kept cutting into Chattanooga's lead. Eventually, time just ran out for UAB as they dropped the contest, 70-63.
"This was a tough loss for us," said UAB head coach Audra Smith. "We dug ourselves a pretty deep hole in the first half, but did a much better job in the second half. We had to dig and claw our way back. Everytime we made a run, they countered the run.
"I have to give our team credit for fighting, scrapping and giving it all that they had. The credit also goes to Chattanooga for coming out with a great game plan. They zoned us, and that posed a lot of problems for us tonight."
Along with Rogers' 23 points, two other Blazers reached double-digit scoring against the Lady Mocs. Senior Carmen Guzman tallied 10 points, six rebounds and three assists, while junior Christon Ingram hit 5-of-8 for 10 points and also grabbed a team-high seven boards. Ingram also set a new career-high by dishing out four assists on the night.
Brooke Hand had the hot-hand for Chattanooga, hitting 7-of-12, including knocking down four three's, for a total of 18 points. Alex Anderson earned herself a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds against UAB.
Chattanooga barely edged out UAB in the shooting category, hitting 40.7 percent of its shots compared to 39.4 percent for the Blazers. The Lady Mocs also held the advantage on the boards, out-rebounding UAB, 47-35.
The Blazers (0-4) will be back in action on Monday, November 27 when they travel to Jackson, Miss. to take on the Jackson State Lady Tigers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Lee E. Williams Center.
