The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Austin Peay
UAB Wins Fourth Straight, Downs Austin Peay
12/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2011
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- LaShaunda Pratt and Karisma Chapman combined for 25 points Saturday night, and the UAB women's basketball team held off a pesky Austin Peay squad for a 49-45 road win at the Dunn Center.
As it has throughout the young season, defense carried the Blazers (5-2), which held Austin Peay (2-5) below 30 percent shooting for the night on the way to their fourth consecutive victory.
"Overall, we did a good job of defending their penetration, not allowing them to get easy baskets, putting a lot of pressure on the basketball," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "I'm really proud of the way we played defensively."
Pratt, a senior guard, scored 13 points and Chapman, a sophomore forward, finished with 12. Junior forward Michaelea Kleist added nine points for the second straight game to go along with seven rebounds.
A tight game throughout, UAB managed to go on a 10-point run to open up a double-digit lead in the second half. A jumper from junior guard Khalilah Watson with 5:28 to play pushed the Blazers' lead to 40-30.
But Austin Peay wouldn't go away. The Lady Govs whittled the UAB lead all the way to one point at 42-41 on a 3-pointer from guard Kristen Stainback with 1:43 to play.
TaRonda Randall's only points of the night on the ensuing possession were key in UAB holding onto the lead. A layup by the senior center extended the Blazers' lead to 44-41, and Pratt and Watson hit clutch free throws in the final minute to keep UAB in front.
"This was kind of an ugly game, but I give a lot of credit to Austin Peay and (coach) Carrie Daniels," Smith said. "They had us scouted perfectly, and that really took us out of our rhythm. I told the kids, just settle down, focus on the defense and the offense will come."
Randall added three blocked shots, and her seven rebounds on the night tied for game-high honors with Kleist and Austin Peay's Leslie Martinez. Watson finished with six points and five assists for UAB.
Stainback led Austin Peay with 15 points, while forward Whitney Hanley finished with 11 for the Lady Govs.
The Blazers managed to win despite turning the ball over more times than their opponent (18-17) for just the second time this season and despite Austin Peay limiting the team's leading scorer Amber Jones to just five points.
Saturday's game was the second in a string of three straight road games for UAB. The Blazers will finish off the road stretch Tuesday with a 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) contest at UNC Greensboro.
