The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UNCG
Blazers Catch Fire From Deep, Win 72-42 At UNCG
12/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2011
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Junior guard Amber Jones poured in a career-high 25 points Tuesday night and UAB put on a shooting exhibition from long range in a 72-42 women's basketball victory over UNCG at Fleming Gymnasium.
The Blazers connected on 13 of 26 attempts from 3-point range, falling one shy of the school record for 3-pointers made, while winning their third straight game on the road and extending their overall winning streak to five games.
Sophomore forward Karisma Chapman recorded her third career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as UAB improved to 6-2, marking the program's best start through eight games since the 1994-95 season. UNCG dropped to 2-5 on the year.
Senior guard LaShaunda Pratt finished with 18 points for UAB as she and Jones combined to shoot a blistering 10-of-12 from beyond the arc. Pratt's six treys were the most in a game by a UAB player this season and the most by a Blazer since Amanda Peterson knocked down seven last March at Manhattan in the WBI semifinals.
"We knew that UNCG was going to play a little 2-3 zone, and we have a pretty good zone offense we run to free up our shooters for 3's in the corner and at the top of the key," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "Their teammates did an awesome job of finding them over the top and they did a good job of catching and knocking down the 3-ball."
As a team, the Blazers scored more than half of their points from 3-point range and hit more 3's than 2-point baskets (11). While the long-range shooting was dialed in, UAB's defense on the other end presented the same challenge it has to opponents all season.
With 42 points, UNCG became the fifth straight UAB opponent to score 47 points or fewer and the sixth in a row to shoot worse than 38 percent from the floor (36.2 percent).
The Blazers forced 18 turnovers and fell one shy of the school record for blocks with 10. Junior forward Michaelea Kleist accounted for a career-high five of those blocks to go along with eight points and seven rebounds as she continues to produce on both ends of the floor.
The Blazers' defense was especially dialed in over the first 20 minutes, holding UNCG to 7-of-23 shooting as UAB opened up a 33-17 lead at the break, thanks in part to six first-half 3-pointers. UAB topped that in the second half, knocking down seven of 10 attempts from deep and extending its lead to as many as 34 points.
The 72 points UAB scored and its 30-point margin of victory were the best of the young season for the Blazers, which have out-scored their opponents by an average of 20.4 points per night during the current five-game winning streak.
UNCG, playing without its top scorer Breonna Patterson, got 12 points from guard Jazz Weaver and 11 from fellow guard Jarae Savage. Another guard, Dayshaun Richbow, led all players with eight assists.
UAB polished off a stretch of three road games in seven days and now returns to Birmingham where it will have a finals week break before returning to the court Dec. 15 against Alabama A&M at Bartow Arena.
"This swing is really going help us when we start conference play in terms of getting some wins underneath our belt on the road," Smith said. "It's been a taxing stretch, but we've grown as a team, we've matured, and I'm happy with the way they've been playing so far, especially on the defensive end."
