The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hosts UTEP In Conference USA Opener
1/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2014
UAB (8-5, 0-0 C-USA) vs. UTEP (11-2, 0-0 C-USA)
Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. CT
Bartow Arena
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Listen Free | Watch
Notes: UAB
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB women’s basketball team will open Conference USA play when it hosts UTEP on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The teams are slated to tip off at 7 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena.
At 8-5 this season, UAB is looking for its 11th win in C-USA openers and third straight. UTEP opened the season 9-0, but is 2-2 in its last four games. The Miners were picked to finish second in the conference, while the Blazers were picked eighth.
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Blazer Bits
- Conference USA Opener - The game will mark the first conference game for both teams.
- Today’s game will be the final of UAB’s four-game home stand. The Blazers are 2-1 during the stretch, and 5-1 at home on the season with the only loss coming to NCAA tournament team Vanderbilt.
- Most recently, UAB fell to Vanderbilt, 87-76, in its first home loss of the season. The group of Chelsee Black, Karisma Chapman and Ashley Grimes combined for 72 of the Blazers’ 76 points. Black finished with a career-high 29 points after going 6-of-13 from behind the arc and 10-of-19 from the field.
- The trio of Chapman, Grimes and Black are each averaging double-figures for the Blazers this season. Chapman leads the team with 18.1 ppg, Grimes is adding 16.7 ppg and Black averages 14.2 ppg. All three have scored in double-digits in the same game eight times during the 2013-14 season.
- Among Conference USA teams, UAB ranks third in scoring defense as it holds opponents to an average of 59.3 points per game. The Blazers will face one of the top offenses in UTEP, who ranks third in scoring offense with an average of 79.5 points per game. Both teams are shooting well heading into the matchup. The Miners are third with a .425 field goal percentage and the Blazers are fourth shooting a .419 clip.
UAB Notes
Scouting the Miners
UTEP (11-2) enters Wednesday’s game tied for second in Conference USA standings. The Miners are coming off of a 74-58 loss to Texas A&M. They are led by Kayla Thornton, who is averaging 18.8 ppg and 9.2 rpg. Jenzel Nash has been productive off the bench for UTEP, putting in 11.9 ppg. Chrishauna Parker is leading the team in assists (42) and steals (36), while also grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game. UTEP opened the season 9-0, and its only two losses have come to Georgia Tech and Texas A&M, both of which have received votes in the AP and Coaches Polls.
The Series
UAB and UTEP will meet for the 12th time, with the Miners holding a slight, 6-5, advantage over the Blazers in the series that dates back to 1990. The teams met twice last season, splitting the games, as UAB took a 61-57 win in the regular season and UTEP countered with a 61-59 win to knock the Blazers out of the conference tournament. UAB has had success at home, with a 3-1 record against the Miners in Bartow Arena.
A Trio of Leading Ladies
The group of senior forward Karisma Chapman, senior guard Ashley Grimes and sophomore point guard Chelsee Black have combined to lead UAB in scoring in all 13 games in the 2013-14 season. The three are all averaging double figures and have all scored in double-digits in eight games this season.
They each rank among the top-10 in C-USA individual categories. Chapman is sixth in scoring (18.1 ppg) and eighth in minutes played (33.77). Grimes, who put together three straight games of 20+ points, is third in three-point field goal percentage (.418) and eighth in scoring (16.7 ppg) and three-point field goals made (1.77 pg). Black is third in three-point field goals made (2.0 pg), fourth in minutes played (36.46) and seventh in free throw percentage (.851).
UAB Efficient Behind the Arc
The Blazers have been shooting well from three-point range this season. They currently rank third in Conference USA with a 31.9 3-point field goal percentage. UAB also has the top two single game percentages in the conference, as the team shot 75.0 percent against Samford and 66.7 percent at Memphis.
Blazers Attacking the Boards
The Blazers have been strong on the boards in the 2013-14 season. They have outrebounded their opponents in 10 of the 13 games so far this season. Three different players have reached over 10 rebounds in a contest. Karisma Chapman has recorded double-digit rebounds three times, sophomore Dy’Man Webb had a career-high 11 against Arizona and sophomore Brittany Winborne recorded 13 against High Point.
Chapman and Grimes Reach Career-Highs
Senior Karisma Chapman led the Blazers with a career-high 37 points in the win over Sam Houston State. Chapman also recorded her third double-double of the season after grabbing 11 rebounds in the game. She netted a career-high 16 field goals and made five-of-seven free throws to lead the team. Classmate Ashley Grimes also had a career game against Memphis where she put up 36 points in the one point loss against the Tigers. UAB is the only team in Conference USA to have two different players score over 30 points this season.
Sophomores Stepping Up
UAB will rely on a strong sophomore class in 2013-14 with six sophomores returning. Chelsee Black, a Bessemer native, is third on the team with 14.2 points per game and scored in double-figures in 11 of the team’s 13 games. The duo of Brittany Winborne and Dy’man Webb are averaging 5.2 and 5.8 rpg, respectively. Kayla Anderson leads the team with 2.38 blocks per game, putting down at least three blocks in seven games.
Chapman Does it All
Senior Karisma Chapman can be found at the top of nearly every statistical category for the Blazers. Chapman leads the team in points per game and rebounds per game, averaging 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game on the season. So far this season she is shooting a team-best .484 from the field and has scored in double figures in 12 of the 13 games. She has also tallied a double-double in three games, Chattanooga (15 points, 10 rebounds), Samford (24 points, 13 rebounds) and Sam Houston State (37 points, 11 rebounds).
Black Leading the Pack
Sophomore Chelsee Black has been outstanding as the starting point guard for UAB in the 2013-14 season. She leads the team in assists with 3.15 per game. She is currently third on the team with 14.2 ppg and is averaging 4.1 rebounds per game. Black is the only sophomore to rank in the C-USA top-10 in minutes played with 36.46 minutes per game, which is fourth.
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