The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Host Southern Miss In C-USA Contest Thursday
1/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2009
UAB vs. Southern Miss Game Notes | Gametracker | Watch
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team will play at home for the first time of the new year when it hosts Southern Miss in a Conference USA matchup on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. CT at Bartow Arena.
Thursday will mark the 45th meeting between UAB and Southern Miss on the hardwood. The Golden Eagles hold a 30-14 advantage in the all-time series with the Blazers, including a 76-73 win over UAB a season ago in Birmingham.
UAB enters Thursday's game with a 6-8 overall record that includes a 1-0 mark in Conference USA. The Blazers won their league opener at Memphis last Sunday, 71-62.
Senior guard Britney Jones is UAB's leading scorer with 15.7 ppg, while also adding 3.9 rpg, 3.4 apg and 2.1 spg. Jones has 11 double figure scoring efforts this season, including a team-best three 20-plus point games.
Sophomore guard Amanda Peterson is giving the Blazers 12.8 ppg this season, led by 41 three-point buckets that puts her first in Conference USA and ranks 14th in the nation in three-pointers per game (2.9 pg).
Junior guard Fatiha Salaam is also averaging double figures with 11.7 ppg. Salaam is coming off a career-best game at Memphis, recording career-high numbers in three-point baskets made (6), three-point baskets attempted (10) and rebounds (9), while tying her career-high in points (23).
Southern Miss, who was the preseason favorite to win the league, brings a 7-7 overall record and a 0-1 C-USA mark into Thursday's game. The Golden Eagles dropped their C-USA opening game at UCF, 65-59, last Saturday.
Junior forward Pauline Love leads Southern Miss by averaging a double-double with 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Junior center Stephanie Helgeson is second on the squad with 10.1 ppg and 6.1 rpg, while leading the Golden Eagles in blocks with 25 on the year.
The UAB vs. Southern Miss game will serve as Women's Basketball Alumni Night. The UAB National Alumni Society and the Blazer Women's Athletic Society are partnering to host a pregame dinner in the Green & Gold Room at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the dinner and the game are $12. Click here for more information.
Fans can follow the game live on Gametracker, as well as watch and listen on All-Access, by logging on to www.uabsports.com.
