The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hosts Montevallo In Exhibition Game Saturday
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2008
Gametracker
UAB vs. Montevallo Game Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Fans will get their first look at the 2008-09 UAB women's basketball team on Saturday evening when the Blazers host Montevallo in an exhibition game. Tip-off at Bartow Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT.
UAB is coming off a 14-16 campaign in 2007-08, which included a 10-6 record in Conference USA for a third-place finish in the league. The Blazers return three starters and a total of eight letterwinners from a season ago.
"We are definitely ready to see what we are made of," said UAB head coach Audra Smith. "We have been practicing against each other for weeks now and it will be good for us to go out there and test ourselves against another team.
"We have some key returning players, combined with a lot of talented newcomers that should make this an exciting season for us."
Two of those key players are a pair of guards in 5-7 senior Britney Jones and 5-10 sophomore Amanda Peterson. Jones is UAB's most experienced player and will lead the Blazers at the point guard position. Jones has averaged 11.4 ppg during her career and ranked first on the team and 36th in the nation in steals (82) last season.
Peterson, who was named C-USA's Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman, joins Jones as one of the top guards in the league. Peterson put up big numbers in her first year as a Blazer with 8.5 ppg, while shooting a team-best 35.4 percent from beyond the arc.
"Britney and Amanda are our primary returning scorers," said Smith. "We are going to look for them to do the same, if not more, for us again this season. They are both going to be an important part of our success throughout the year."
Along with Jones and Peterson, 5-9 junior Fatiha Salaam and 5-4 sophomore Kara Johnson will be returning for UAB at guard. Salaam played in 28 games and started 11 as a sophomore, scoring 2.8 ppg for the Blazers. Johnson played in just one game a season ago but served as a valuable member of the scout team.
In addition, the Blazers will welcome a pair of fresh faces to their backcourt lineup in 5-8 redshirt freshman Ashlee Jackson and 5-9 true freshman Miteka Trueheart.
The core of the UAB forwards will be 6-1 senior Brianna Berry, who started 29 games last year, averaging 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest.
Looking to make a large contribution at forward this season will also be 6-0 junior Erica Simpson and 5-11 sophomore Chasity Herron. Simpson added 2.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game to the Blazers' efforts a season ago and Herron tallied 1.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
One newcomer that is expected to make an immediate impact is 6-0 junior college transfer Tamika Dukes. Dukes will also be joined by highly-touted, 6-1 freshman Shelly Breaux as the newcomers at forward.
"We have a lot of talent at forward," said Smith. "A lot of those players have the ability to not only score in the paint and grab rebounds, but to also shoot from the outside. It makes them a duel threat and will help us tremendously."
UAB has become a whole lot bigger in the middle this season with a trio of centers that could all make a huge splash. The veteran under the basket is 6-2 junior Amanda Scott, who scored 4.8 points and grabbed 3.3 rebounds per game a year ago.
Freshmen Meagan Brown and TaRonda Randall are the rookies at center for the Blazers. Brown, a 6-5 force in the paint, will be UAB's tallest player this season. Randall stands at 6-2 and could make major contributions in just her first year in the Green and Gold.
"All of our centers have great size and are very athletic," said Smith. "They are going to definitely change the look of our inside game."
Montevallo, which is led by first-year head coach Brittney Ezell, had a 6-21 record a season ago, including a 2-10 record in the Gulf South Conference.
The Falcons will rely on a pair of returnees in sophomore guard/forward Shan Jones and senior forward/center Katie Vanderhyden. Jones averaged 9.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg while being named the Gulf South Conference Eastern Division Freshman of the Year last season. Vanderhyden added 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a junior.
UAB and Montevallo will tipoff at 7 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena. The game can be followed live on Gametracker by logging on to www.uabsports.com. The contest can also be seen live on All-Access with video and audio.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth. Children under six years of age will be admitted free. Also, fans who bring two canned good items to donate to the canned food drive will receive free admission, as well as a free ticket to the Nov. 14 regular-season opening game vs. Stetson.
