The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Norfolk State
UAB Edges Norfolk State, 55-53
11/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Freshman guard Jala Harris scored 17 points to lead UAB to a 55-53 victory over the Norfolk State Spartans in the nightcap of the UAB Thanksgiving Classic at Bartow Arena. The Blazers held the Spartans scoreless for a 10:18 stretch and Harris sparked a 19-0 run during the span as UAB improved to 2-3 on the season.
"Our defensive intensity started that (drought), then we just needed to maintain it," head coach Audra Smith said. "LaKenya (Lowe) sparked that intensity, then everyone else began to buckle down and get stops."
The Blazers led the majority of the first half until Norfolk State tied it with 3:51 left. That's when Harris knocked down a three-pointer and the Spartans didn't hit another bucket until the 13:33 mark in the second half. Harris scored seven of her points during the stretch, while freshman guard Amber Jones added five.
"I was proud of the way Jala ran the offense," Smith said. "She handled the ball well and executed our offensive plan."
The Spartans refused to go down easily, though, and began chipping away at the 19-point Blazer lead. Norfolk State cut the deficit to 12 midway through the second half and regained the lead with 5:16 left to play for the first time since the 16:27 mark in the first half.
The Spartans went up by three, but back-to-back baskets by Harris and Lowe put the Blazers back on top with 4:02 left. The seesaw affair continued until the UAB widened its lead to five with 1:14 to go. Norfolk State cut it to two with 28 seconds left before tying the game with 16 second on the clock. A costly foul for the Spartans sent Harris to the line with 15 second remaining and she knocked down both free throws to seal the 55-53 win.
UAB wraps up the Thanksgiving Classic against North Texas on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m., or immediately following the contest between Samford and Norfolk State at 1 p.m.
