The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Western Kentucky
UAB Defense Shuts Down WKU In 58-36 Victory
11/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2011
BIRMNGHAM, Ala. -- Junior guard Amber Jones and sophomore forward Karisma Chapman scored 17 points each Saturday as the UAB women's basketball team downed Western Kentucky, 58-36, at Bartow Arena.
UAB's signature defense forced the Lady Toppers (1-5) into tough shots all night, and the Blazers (3-2) polished off a 2-0 weekend in their UAB Thanksgiving Classic.
Senior guard LaShaunda Pratt added 15 points for UAB and junior guard Kelsie Weynand tacked on nine as four Blazers accounted for the team's scoring.
While UAB had three players with at least 15 points, Western Kentucky did not have a player reach double figures. Center Jasmine Johnson led the Lady Toppers with seven points, and guard Ellen Sholtes added six.
UAB's defensive effort forced 26 Western Kentucky turnovers and limited the Lady Toppers to 14-of-45 shooting (31 percent). WKU made just four of 21 second-half attempts (19 percent).
Western Kentucky's 36 points for the game matched the fewest allowed by the Blazers since 1996. UAB also limited Tulsa to just 36 points last season.
"Our defensive effort to control the game and hold them to 36 points was the key," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "I thought we really turned the corner when we came out with our matchup zone in the second half. They couldn't get the ball inside and get their offense going, and that seemed to take the pressure off us offensively."
The game was tight through much of the first half with UAB holding a 25-22 lead with just 3:15 to play in the opening frame. From there, the Blazers went on a 16-5 run, spanning the first and second halves, capped by a jumper from Pratt that extended UAB's lead to 41-27 with 13:11 to play.
The Blazers continued to extend their lead over the final 10 minutes of the game, opening up their largest advantage at 57-34 on a jumper from Chapman with 1:47 left in the game.
Chapman finished the night 7-of-13 from the floor and also added a team-high seven rebounds and three steals. Junior guard Khalilah Watson logged three steals and five boards of her own to go with a game-high five assists.
"We got contributions from everyone," Smith said. "Khalilah didn't score, but she did so many things for us. She played four different positions throughout the game, guarding players from the post to the perimeter. We really need a versatile player like Khalilah; she's unselfish and will do whatever is necessary for us to win."
UAB committed just seven turnovers as a team, the fourth time in five games this year the Blazers have turned the ball over 10 times or fewer. UAB has forced 100 turnovers (20 per game) this season and committed just 54 (10.8 per game).
The Blazers now hit the road for three straight games, beginning with a Wednesday contest at Morehead State. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT).
