The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Put Winning Streak On Line At UNCG
12/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2011
Live Stats | Live Video | Game Notes 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Looking to extend its winning streak to five games, the UAB women's basketball team visits UNCG in Greensboro, N.C., for its third straight road game Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The teams, which will be meeting for the first time, are both coming off Saturday victories. The Blazers (5-2) relied on their hallmark defense for a 49-45 win at Austin Peay, while UNCG (2-4) got past Samford, 61-53, in Southern Conference action.
Game Information
UAB at UNCG
Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT)
Fleming Gymnasium (Greensboro, N.C.)
Live Coverage
Live stats and live video available at uncgspartans.com.
Series Information
• UAB and UNCG will be meeting for the first time in women's basketball.
• UNCG is one of only two first-time opponents on the schedule for UAB this season. The other was Southeast Missouri, which the Blazers defeated, 64-41, on Nov. 25.
• UNCG is the second Southern Conference opponent on this year's UAB schedule. The first was Chattanooga, which topped the Blazers, 65-59, in the season opener on Nov. 11.
About the Blazers
UAB heads to Greensboro, N.C., on a hot streak, having won its past four games by an average of 18.0 points. The closest game in that stretch was the most recent one, which the Blazers won by a score of 49-45 Saturday on the road at Austin Peay.
Despite being held to five points in Saturday's win, junior guard Amber Jones continues to pace the Blazers offensively with 14.4 points per game, followed by sophomore forward Karisma Chapman at 12.7 and senior guard LaShaunda Pratt at 11.4.
UAB continues to make its mark on the defensive end of the floor. The Blazers are allowing just 48.9 points per game, holding opponents to 35.6 percent shooting and forcing 20.7 turnovers per game.
Scouting UNCG
After losing its first three games of the season, UNCG has won two of its past three games, including a 61-53 home victory Saturday over Samford. The Spartans enter Tuesday's contest with a record of 2-4.
Guard Breonna Patterson leads the Spartans in scoring at 12.0 points per game, while fellow guard Natalie Headley -- who scored a game-high 18 points in the win over Samford -- adds 9.0 points per contest.
The Spartans are allowing 66.0 points per game while scoring 54.2 points per contest. UNCG is allowing opponents to shoot 47 percent from the floor and nearly 41 percent from 3-point range.
The Last Time Out
LaShaunda Pratt and Karisma Chapman combined for 25 points Saturday night, and UAB held off a pesky Austin Peay squad for a 49-45 road win.
As it has throughout the young season, defense carried the Blazers, which held Austin Peay below 30 percent shooting for the night on the way to their fourth consecutive victory.
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.
Getting Started
• UAB is looking for its fifth straight victory, having won both games at its UAB Thanksgiving Classic (Nov. 25-26) over Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky and followed that performance up with a 70-47 win at Morehead State last Wednesday and a 49-45 win at Austin Peay on Saturday.
• The last time the Blazers won five games in a row was last season from Nov. 27-Dec. 20, 2010.
• Dating back to last season, UAB has won nine of its past 11 games and 16 of its past 22 contests.
• Tuesday's game at UNCG is the third of three straight on the road for UAB. After Tuesday's contest, the Blazers will have played six of their first eight games away from home.
• UAB and UNCG share one common opponent in Chattanooga. The Blazers suffered a 65-59 loss to the Lady Mocs on the road (11/11), while UNCG lost at home to Chattanooga, 63-46 (12/1).
• UAB heads to UNCG with three players averaging double-figure scoring: junior guard Amber Jones (14.4), sophomore forward Karisma Chapman (12.7) and senior guard LaShaunda Pratt (11.4).
• In the first NCAA statistical rankings this season, UAB topped the nation in fewest turnovers per game. This week, the Blazers check in at No. 6 nationally with 12.9 turnovers per game.
• The Blazers' six turnovers against Chattanooga (11/11) were the fewest by a UAB team since a five-turnover performance versus Tulsa on Feb. 12, 2009.
• Sophomore forward Karisma Chapman was named the Conference USA Player of the Week on Nov. 28 after averaging 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals in the Blazers' two victories at the UAB Thanksgiving Classic.
• UAB has dominated the offensive glass, averaging 14.9 offensive rebounds per game, while limiting its opponents to 9.9 offensive boards per contest.
• UAB is tied for ninth nationally in scoring defense (48.9 ppg). The Blazers' 36 points allowed Nov. 26 against Western Kentucky matched the fewest surrendered by UAB since the 1996-97 season.
• The Blazers are coming off their first 20-win season since the 2000-01 campaign after posting a 20-15 record last year. UAB returns nine letterwinners and five with starting experience from that team.
• UAB closed last season with four consecutive postseason wins (the first three on the road) to claim the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) title. The Blazers returned home to defeat Cal State Bakersfield in the tournament's championship game.
