The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Belmont
Blazers' Stifling Defense Routs Belmont, 61-37
12/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Junior center Meagan Brown registered a career-high five blocked shots as the UAB women's basketball team cruised to a 61-37 win over Belmont on Sunday afternoon at Bartow Arena. Sophomore guard Jala Harris led the Blazers with 14 points and nine different Blazers scored at least one point.
"Our defense is what's helping us accomplish what we need to," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "We have to rattle people and get our opponents out of their offense and I can't commend Meagan Brown enough on the way she helps do that. What doesn't show up on the stats is what she does for this team defensively. She's a zone by herself. She's all over the place in terms of helping our guards and she does a phenomenal job for us."
Brown finished the game with two points, four rebounds and a steal in addition to her five blocks. Sophomore guard Amber Jones cracked double figures for the second straight game with 11 points and senior guard Amanda Peterson chipped in nine. Peterson needs just 12 3-pointers to break the school's career record and is 25 points shy of 1,000 for her career.
UAB's defense was stifling against the Bruins (2-5), as the Blazers forced 24 turnovers and scored 25 points off those turnovers. UAB (5-3) turned the ball over 13 times but allowed just six points off those turnovers. The Blazers out-rebounded the Bruins, 42-34, including 20 on the offensive glass, led by junior forwards Miteka Trueheart and TaRonda Randall with six rebounds each.
A pair of Bruins reached double figures, with Tereva Moore scoring 11 points and Rachel Swisher adding 10.
The Blazers gave up just 17 first-half points and took a 14-point lead into the break. UAB ended the opening frame on a 16-1 run, holding Belmont without a field goal for the final 7:56 of the half. During that stretch, the Blazers knocked down four 3-pointers and finished the half 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
UAB didn't let up in the second half, stretching the lead to as many as 26. Freshman forward Destiny Samuels provided a spark in the second half, with all seven of her points coming in the latter frame.
The Blazers will take a 10-day break during finals before returning to action on Dec. 15 when UAB hosts Clemson. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
