The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hosts Annual Blazer Invitational Monday And Tuesday
12/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2008
Tournament Central | UAB Game Notes (PDF)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Following more than a week off for final exams, the UAB women's basketball team will return to action by hosting its annual Blazer Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Bartow Arena. Alabama State, Georgia State and Louisiana-Lafayette will join the Blazers in the two-day event.
Georgia State and Louisiana-Lafayette will play the opening game of the tournament at 4 p.m. CT on Monday. UAB and Alabama State will follow at 6 p.m. CT.
Alabama State will play either Georgia State or Louisiana-Lafayette on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT, while UAB will take on the other team at 6 p.m. CT.
The Blazers enter the tournament with a 2-6 record that includes wins over Stetson and McNeese State. UAB will look to rebound from a 96-72 loss at Central Michigan on Dec. 6.
Senior guard Britney Jones leads UAB with 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Jones has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including two 20-point efforts.
Junior guard Fatiha Salaam tallied a career-high 23 points in the Blazers' last outing at Central Michigan and is averaging 12.8 ppg on the year. Salaam is shooting 45.1 percent overall, including 41.2 percent from three-point range and 83.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Alabama State is 1-5 on the year and has lost its last three games. The Hornets' most-recent outing was an 83-42 loss at Georgia State on Dec. 5.
L'Teisha Holloway leads Alabama State with 9.8 points per contest, while also adding 4.3 boards per game. Tanika Jackson is putting up 8.8 ppg and pulling down a team-best 5.7 rpg for the Hornets.
Georgia State has a 3-2 record and most-recently defeated Alabama State, 83-42, on Dec. 5. The Panthers have also earned wins over Presbyterian and Clemson this season.
Georgia State is led in scoring and on the boards by Danyiell McKeller, who is averaging 17.4 ppg and 5.4 rpg. Jylisa Williams is putting up 9.4 ppg, while Brittany Hollins is adding 8.6 ppg and a team-best 3.0 apg for the Panthers.
Louisiana-Lafayette has a 1-7 record, with its lone win of the season coming over Nicholls State, 71-57, on Dec. 5.
Alexis Green paces the Ragin' Cajuns with 13.6 ppg on 40.8 percent shooting, while also adding 4.8 rpg and a team-best 1.8 apg. Mercedes Johnson is scoring 10.1 ppg and Jasmine Barnes is contributing 9.2 ppg. D'Mya Clay is leading Louisiana-Lafayette on the boards with 5.5 rpg to go along with her 7.8 ppg.
UAB has experienced a lot of success in its own Blazer Invitational over the years, including winning the tournament title the past five seasons. In 2003-04, UAB topped Brown and UT-Martin to claim the title, while successfully defending its title in 2004-05 against Tennessee State and Furman and getting the three-peat in 2005-06 over Alabama A&M and Middle Tennessee State.
UAB earned wins over Florida Atlantic and Hampton to keep the title in Birmingham in 2006-07. Most recently, the Blazers topped Delaware State and St. John's a season ago to make it five in a row. The last time the Blazers lost in their own tournament was to Troy, 55-54, on December 20, 2002.
Monday's UAB game versus Alabama State is designated as "Be Seen In Green" day at Bartow Arena. All fans wearing green will be admitted for $1. In addition, any fan that brings a ticket stub from a 2008 UAB home football game will receive free admission.
All tournament games can be followed live on Gametracker by logging on to www.uabsports.com.
