The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UCF
UAB Falls to UCF, 64-54
3/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2012
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Keith Clanton scored 14 points to lead four players in double figures for UCF in a 64-54 win over UAB on Thursday night in the Conference USA tournament quarterfinals.
With the loss, the Blazers close the season with a 15-16 record, which includes finishing with eight wins over their last 11 contests.
"We just shot a terrible percentage in the second half. We shot 18 percent from the field," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "We missed a lot of free throws, we missed lay-ups, and we just didn't play offense. On defense I thought we played ok, we held them without scoring a basket for quite a stretch during the second half, but we just missed open shots. It just kind of snowballed, you're not going to beat anyone shooting 18 percent."
The Knights (22-9) advance to the semifinal round of the tournament and will face top seed and regular-season conference champion Memphis on Friday. UCF split the season series against the Tigers.
Marcus Jordan and A.J. Rompza added 12 points apiece for the Knights, while Isaiah Sykes chipped in 10.
The Knights, fresh off a win over against UAB in the regular-season finale that clinched the season sweep, took control early for the same result in this postseason meeting. Jordan put in a layup and knocked down a 3 to help fuel an 11-4 Knights run that turned a one-point deficit into a six-point lead and UCF led the rest of the way.
The Blazers kept the game close with their defense, limiting the Knights to 28 second half points. But UAB connected on just 6-of-33 shots from the floor in the final 20 minutes.
Ovie Soko had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead UAB (15-16). He collected a pair of double-doubles and averaged 19.0 points and 11.5 rebounds a game in the Blazers' two contests.
Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference honoree Cameron Moore struggled throughout the night, finishing with six points - all coming on free throws - and eight rebounds. However, he did surpass former great Carlos Williams as the Blazers all-time single-season rebounding leader (325 total rebounds and a 10.5 rebounds per game average). His 14 double-doubles on the season were third best in program lore.
Furthermore, he closes his career second in double-doubles (28) and blocked shots (137) and is fourth in total rebounds (747). Moore is one of just three Blazers in school history to record 1,000 points (1,060) and 700 rebounds in his career.
