The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers, Pirates Battle Thursday At Bartow
2/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2012
Game Notes 
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB women's basketball team welcomes East Carolina to Bartow Arena on Thursday for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff.
The Blazers (16-5, 7-2 C-USA), which defeated ECU on the road earlier this season, are coming off a 50-45 win Sunday at Marshall. The Pirates (6-16, 0-9 C-USA) lost Sunday at Southern Miss, 67-57, and visit Birmingham on a 13-game losing skid.
GAME INFORMATION
UAB vs. East Carolina
Thursday, Feb. 9 @ 7 p.m. CT
Birmingham, Ala. (Bartow Arena)
LIVE COVERAGE
Gametracker live stats and Blazer Vision streaming video available at uabsports.com.
SERIES INFORMATION
• UAB trails 13-8 in the all-time series with East Carolina with 20 of the previous 21 meetings coming since the Pirates joined Conference USA starting with the 2001-02 season.
• The Blazers are 4-4 all-time against East Carolina in Birmingham. The Pirates won the most recent meeting at Bartow Arena by a 66-65 score on March 3, 2011.
• ECU has won seven of the past nine meetings, though the teams have split the past four.
• UAB won the first meeting between the teams this season, 44-39, in Greenville on Jan. 8, 2012 in the second Conference USA game of the year for both teams.
ABOUT THE BLAZERS
UAB returns to Bartow Arena on Thursday for its second meeting of the season with East Carolina. The Blazers, which own a 7-1 home record this season, won their third straight game Sunday at Marshall, 50-45. With a 16-5 overall record and a 7-2 league mark, UAB is tied for second place in the C-USA standings.
Karisma Chapman leads UAB in scoring with 14.0 points per game, followed by Amber Jones (13.7) and LaShaunda Pratt (11.4). Defensively, that trio has also accounted for 143 of the team's 218 steals this season.
The Blazers continue to rank third in the nation in scoring defense at 48.6 points per game. UAB is turning opponents over 19.9 times per game, while giving it away just 14.9 times on average -- the fewest in Conference USA. The Blazers are scoring 18.0 of their 56.7 points per game off opponent turnovers.
SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA
East Carolina visits Birmingham in search of its first Conference UAB victory with a record of 6-16 and 0-9 in league play. The Pirates are looking to snap an overall losing streak of 13 games.
Shala Hodges, who is back after an eight-game suspension, leads ECU in scoring at 11.4 points per game, while Chareya Smith adds 9.8. Britney Edwards tops the team and ranks among the top 10 in C-USA with 7.8 rebounds per contest.
East Carolina ranks third in C-USA with 11.2 steals per game and is holding opponents to 58.4 points per game. The Pirates are scoring 57.2 points on average, shooting 35.7 percent and allowing 39 percent shooting to their opponents.
GETTING STARTED
• The Blazers' 16-5 start to the season matches the best ever for UAB, while their 7-2 record to open league play ties the best in their Conference USA history.
• Dating back to last season, UAB has won 20 of its past 25 games and 27 of its past 36 contests.
• UAB enters Thursday's game versus East Carolina tied for second in the Conference USA standings with Memphis at 7-2 in league play, trailing only UTEP (9-0).
• UAB is the top team in Conference USA and third nationally in scoring defense, surrendering just 48.6 points per game for the season. The Blazers also rank 30th in the country in blocks per game (5.1) and 37th in field goal percentage defense (35.3 percent).
• Senior guard LaShaunda Pratt will be playing her 100th career game Thursday against East Carolina, while senior center TaRonda Randall played her 100th career game Sunday at Marshall. Pratt has played in 53 games for the Blazers after spending her first two years at Boston College, while Randall has played all 100 of her games for the Blazers.
• UAB has four players ranked among the top 11 in C-USA in blocks per game -- Meagan Brown (1.3, 7th), TaRonda Randall (1.2, 8th), Michaelea Kleist (1.1, 9th) and Karisma Chapman (1.0, 11th).
• The Blazers have forced 104 more turnovers than their opponents this year and are out-scoring opponents in points of turnovers by nearly six per game (18.0-12.3).
• Junior guard Amber Jones became the 25th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points with her 11-point effort Jan. 26 at Tulsa. Jones now has 1,031 career points and is just the 13th Blazer ever to reach the 1,000-point mark before her senior season.
• UAB's trio of sophomore forward Karisma Chapman (14.0 ppg), junior guard Amber Jones (13.7 ppg) and senior guard LaShaunda Pratt (11.4 ppg) have accounted for 67.6 percent of the Blazers' scoring with 808 of the team's 1,191 points on the year.
• The Blazers placed four scorers in double figures Jan. 29 against Southern Miss for the second time this season with Karisma Chapman scoring a career-high 25, followed by Amber Jones with 14, LaShaunda Pratt with 11 and Michaelea Kleist with 10.
• UAB put an eight-game winning streak together from Nov. 25-Dec. 30. It was UAB's longest winning streak in 17 years and just the sixth streak of at least eight games in program history. UAB held opponents to an average of 41.4 points and 31.4 percent shooting during the streak.
TOP-NOTCH START
At 16-5 overall, UAB has matched the best start through 21 games in program history, joining the 1991-92, 1993-94 and 1994-95 teams. The 1991-92 squad went on to a 23-5 start before finishing with a 24-8 record and a WNIT appearance. The 1993-94 group also went on to start 23-5 before finishing 23-6 and playing in the NCAA tournament. The 1994-95 team ended the year 19-9.
UAB's 7-2 league start is tied for the best in its C-USA history. The 1995-96, 2006-07 and 2007-08 teams also won seven of their first nine league games.
DOMINATING DEFENSE
Coming off one of the best defensive seasons in Conference USA history, UAB has been even stingier so far this year. The Blazers have surrendered just 48.6 points per contest and rank third in the nation in scoring defense in the latest NCAA statistics (2/6).
UAB has held 14 of its 21 opponents to 47 points or fewer and kept four -- Western Kentucky, Hampton, Clemson and East Carolina -- below 40 points. The 36 points scored Nov. 26 by Western Kentucky and Dec. 30 by Clemson matched the fewest allowed by the Blazers since the 1994-95 season.
HISTORIC NUMBERS
UAB is on pace to break its own Conference USA record for scoring defense by a large margin. Last season, the Blazers set a school and league record by allowing just 55.3 points per game, good for 25th-best in the nation. Their 56.1 points allowed per game in conference play also set a league record.
This year, UAB is allowing only 48.6 points per game (third in the nation), and the Blazers have allowed their nine conference opponents an average of 49.7 points per contest.
JONES JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
With 11 points Jan. 26 against Tulsa, junior guard Amber Jones surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for her career. She enters Thursday's contest versus East Carolina with 1,031 career points.
Jones became the 25th 1,000-point scorer in program history and the 13th to accomplish the feat before her senior season.
Until Jones passed the mark, former Blazer Amanda Peterson was the most recent UAB player to reach 1,000 points, surpassing the mark last season in her senior campaign.
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
UAB has forced a high number of turnovers this year and been able to cash them in for points on the other end. The Blazers have out-scored their opponents 379-258 for the season in points off turnovers. That is an average differential of nearly six points per game (18.0-12.3).
The Blazers have scored more than 20 points off turnovers in a game eight times this season, including a season-best 30 points off turnovers in the win over Houston (1/15). In three of its five losses, UAB has scored fewer than 10 points off turnovers.
BLOCK PARTY
The second-best shot-blocking team in Conference USA, the Blazers are swatting 5.1 shots per game (ranked 30th in the nation) and 5.4 per game through nine conference contests. UAB is nearly two blocks per game ahead of school record pace (3.4 per game in 1998-99). Last year's team is second in school annals with 3.3 blocks per contest.
Four Blazers this season are averaging at least one block per game. Meagan Brown leads the team at 1.3, followed by TaRonda Randall (1.2), Michaelea Kleist (1.1) and Karisma Chapman (1.0).
SWAT TEAM
UAB set a single-game school record with 12 blocked shots in the Jan. 12 win over UCF. The Blazers topped the previous best mark of 11, set in last season's home victory over Tulsa (2/10/11).
Meagan Brown had four of those blocks, including the record breaker with 1:50 to play. Karisma Chapman and LaShaunda Pratt had three each, while Michaelea Kleist and TaRonda Randall added one apiece.
JONES PICKS UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
Junior guard Amber Jones continues to be one of the top scoring threats for UAB, ranking second on the team with an average of 13.7 points per game. She has led UAB in scoring nine times, including Dec. 6 at UNCG when she erupted for a career-high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
Jones is the leading returning scorer for UAB after averaging 12.5 points per game last year as a sophomore. She developed into the Blazers' top scorer down the stretch in 2010-11, raising her average to 15.3 points per game over the final 13 contests and 17.5 over the final six.
JONES IMPROVING 3-POINT PCT.
Amber Jones has shown vast improvement from 3-point range this season. She entered her junior year with 72 treys over her first two seasons but was just a 27.7 percent shooter from beyond the arc for her career.
This season, Jones' 3-point percentage has jumped to 33.3 (28-for-84), which ranks sixth in Conference USA.
DOING DAMAGE FROM DOWNTOWN
UAB averages 5.5 3-pointers per game as a team to rank first in Conference USA, while senior guard LaShaunda Pratt ranks second in the league individually with 2.1 treys per contest. The Blazers knocked down 13 in a single contest against UNCG (12/6), including six by Pratt.
Last season, UAB topped C-USA in 3-pointers per game, as well. The Blazers averaged a league-leading 6.2 treys per contest, knocking down 216 for the season, the second-most in UAB history and just three shy of the 2006-07 school-record total of 219.
Graduated guard Amanda Peterson set a school and C-USA record with 103 treys a year ago.
PRATT FROM LONG RANGE
LaShaunda Pratt ranks second in Conference USA with 2.1 made 3-pointers per game and fourth in 3-point percentage (.338). More than half of Pratt's field goal attempts this season (133 of 237) have come from behind the 3-point line.
Pratt has hit at least 3 treys in eight games this season. She hit five 3-pointers on her way to a career-best 24 points earlier this season at McNeese State (11/19) and topped that at UNCG (12/6) when she hit a career-best six 3-pointers in just seven attempts.
FROSH SENSATION NOW SUPER SOPH
Sophomore forward Karisma Chapman is continuing to develop after a 2010-11 season in which she was a C-USA All-Freshman Team selection. Chapman is averaging 14.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. She logged her third career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds at UNCG (12/6).
Last year, Chapman finished the season with 10 double-digit scoring performances in the last 17 games. She averaged 10.8 points per game over that stretch and closed the year with an average of 8.0 points to go along with a pair of double-doubles in her rookie campaign.
NEW MARK FOR DEFENSE IN A HALF
UAB matched the program record for fewest points allowed in a half Jan. 5 against Rice, limiting the Owls to just 11 points over the opening 20 minutes.
The Blazers also surrendered only 11 points in a half against Cincinnati on March 9, 1995. On four other occasions, UAB has limited an opponent to 12 points in a single half.
KLEIST'S CONTRIBUTIONS
Junior forward Michaelea Kleist, who came off the bench for the first three games, has now started 18 contests in a row.
Kleist, a transfer from Volunteer State CC, has proven to be a defensive presence and one of the team's top rebounders. She ranks third on the team in blocks with 1.1 per game and second in rebounds with 5.6 per outing. Kleist's five blocked shots against UNCG (12/6) are the most by a UAB player this season.
BROWN'S BLOCKS
Meagan Brown reached a milestone with her 100th career blocked shot Jan. 22 against Memphis. The senior center is coming off a 2010-11 campaign in which she set the school record for single-season blocked shots with 49. Her 102 career blocks rank third on the Blazers' all-time list, trailing only the 125 by Deanna Jackson (1998-2002) and the 108 of Mary Morning (1993-97).
GOOD GUARD PLAY
UAB's trio of primary ballhandlers -- Khalilah Watson, Amber Jones and LaShaunda Pratt -- has combined for a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (161 assists, 152 turnovers) this year.
Jones (63 assists, 52 turnovers) and Watson (61 assists, 43 turnovers) have both made strides this year after posting more turnovers than assists a season ago. For much of the season, either Watson or Jones has been ranked among the best in Conference USA in assist-to-turnover ratio.
TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL
UAB has been among the nation's best at taking care of the basketball. The Blazers were in the top 10 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game early this season but have dropped to No. 37 (14.9 per game). They lead C-USA in fewest giveaways this year.
UAB recorded 10 or fewer turnovers four times in its first six games of the season, including just six in the season opener against Chattanooga (11/11) and seven against Western Kentucky (11/26).
The six turnovers against Chattanooga were the second-fewest by a UAB team in head coach Audra Smith's eight-year tenure at the school and the fewest turnovers for the Blazers since they gave the ball away just five times against Tulsa on Feb. 12, 2009.
FORCING TURNOVERS
UAB has created 104 more turnovers than its opponents (417-313) this year. Last year, the team forced 115 more turnovers than they committed (644-529).
After forcing double-digit turnovers in all 35 games last season, UAB has caused at least 10 turnovers in every game this year, including 28 against East Tennessee State (11/18) and Morehead State (11/30).
The Blazers have currently forced their opponents into double-digit turnovers in 144 straight games. The last time a UAB opponent turned the ball over fewer than 10 times was Hartford (eight) on Nov. 23, 2007.
EARNING SECOND CHANCES
Through 21 games this season, UAB has snagged 314 offensive rebounds (14.5 per game) compared to 236 (11.2 per game) for its opponents. The Blazers have posted double-digit offensive boards in every game but two and reached 20 offensive rebounds four times -- 23 against Southern Miss (1/29) and Alabama A&M (12/15), 22 at Clemson (12/30) and 20 at McNeese State (11/19).
Senior center Meagan Brown has logged a team-high 54 offensive boards, while sophomore forward Karisma Chapman has snagged nearly half of her rebounds (52 of 107) on the offensive glass.
GETTING MORE SHOTS
UAB's prowess at forcing turnovers and grabbing offensive rebounds has led to more scoring opportunities for the Blazers. Through 21 games, UAB has attempted 168 more shots (1,170-1,002) than its opponents for an average of 8.0 more attempts per game.
