The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
McNeese State
Pratt Leads Rally But Blazers Drop OT Decision
11/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2011
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- LaShaunda Pratt scored a career-high 24 points Saturday and UAB overcame an 18-point halftime deficit to force overtime, but three late offensive rebound putbacks helped McNeese State escape with a 61-56 victory at Burton Coliseum.
The contest was the final game of the Preseason WNIT for both the Blazers (1-2) and the Cowgirls (2-1). UAB will next play on Friday at 6 p.m. CT against Southeast Missouri in its home opener at Bartow Arena as part of its Thanksgiving tournament.
Pratt, a senior guard from Winston-Salem, N.C., hit a career-best five 3-pointers, including four in the second half, and scored 16 of her points after the intermission as the Blazers' whittled away at McNeese State's 36-18 halftime lead.
Her third and fourth 3-pointers cut McNeese State's advantage to 46-44 with 4:23 to play, while her fifth trey gave the Blazers their first lead at 49-48 at the 3:06 mark of the second half. The teams then traded baskets until a pair of Pratt free throws in the final minute sent the game to overtime at 53-53.
UAB grabbed a 55-53 lead on sophomore forward Karisma Chapman's jumper to open the overtime period, but the Blazers then fell victim to three straight McNeese State second-chance baskets.
Martika Hull, who had not scored since a layup in the opening minutes of the game, scored on putbacks on three straight possessions to give the Cowgirls the lead for good. The third in the string of putbacks came with 1:15 to play, putting McNeese State up 59-56, and the preseason Southland Conference favorite and 2011 NCAA tournament participant Cowgirls went on to add late free throws.
"We allowed them too many second-chance opportunities in overtime, and they were able to convert on them," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "We had plenty of second chances of our own with 20 offensive rebounds, but we just weren't able to capitalize on enough of them."
Chapman finished with 13 points for UAB, while Ashlynn Baggett and Raiyawna Gatlin led a balanced McNeese State attack with 13 points each.
It was first-half penetration by Baggett and Gatlin along with UAB turnovers that helped McNeese State build its 18-point lead. The Cowgirl guards were able to get into the lane, leading to 18 first-half points in the paint, while the McNeese State defense forced the Blazers into 13 turnovers that turned into 19 points over the first 20 minutes.
UAB entered the game with just 15 turnovers through its first two games but gave the ball away 22 times in Saturday's loss.
The Blazers cleaned up their play in the second half and turned up the defensive pressure, forcing McNeese State into off-balanced shots as opposed to the layups the Cowgirls were able to get in the first half.
"I was proud of the way our team came back out and fought in the second half," Smith said. "It just takes so much energy to dig yourself out of a hole like we were in, and we can't afford to start as slowly as we did."
UAB limited a good outside-shooting McNeese State team to just a 2-for-12 effort from the 3-point line for the game. The Blazers also out-rebounded the Cowgirls 47-37 and racked up 20 offensive boards.
Senior center Meagan Brown led all players with 12 rebounds and finished with nine points for the Blazers.
