The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
UC Irvine
UAB Comes Back To Defeat UC Irvine In Overtime
11/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The UAB women's basketball team overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat UC Irvine, 69-65, in overtime on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers finished 1-1 in the 2014 DoubleTree Los Angeles Westside Thanksgiving Classic.
"I was pleased with the poised and clutch play down the stretch," head coach Randy Norton said. "I felt that we played our best at the end of the game, as far as our execution, playing with poise, stepping up and hitting really big free throws and taking good shots."
UAB improved to 4-2 overall with the win, while UC Irvine fell to 1-6. The Blazers out-shot the Anteaters, 36.4 percent to 34.7 percent, including holding UC Irvine to just 22 percent from the field in the overtime period.
The Blazers also finished 73.9 percent from the free throw line, going 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in overtime to clinch the victory. UAB also won the battle in the paint, scoring 36 points to UC Irvine's 28.
After falling behind, 26-16, with six minutes remaining in the first half, UAB picked up its intensity and began to climb back into the game. The Blazers closed out the half with six unanswered points to cut the lead to two, 31-29, at halftime.
UC Irvine extended its lead back to eight points early in the second half after a 6-0 run. It wasn't until the 3:40 mark that UAB took its first lead of the game on a layup by junior Bianca Dufelmeier.
The Anteaters grabbed the lead back, but another layup by Dufelmeier and a layup from senior Janae Smith put the Blazers up 53-50 with 2:24 to play. UC Irvine tied the game up at 53-53 with a 3-pointer, but the Blazers were back in front after senior Miranda Burroughs came off the bench to hit two free throws that gave UAB a 57-56 lead.
UAB was up 58-56 with 16 seconds remaining when UC Irvine's Madison McKenney made a layup in the final seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. In the extra period, the Blazers got on the board first as Smith hit = two free throws, then a 3-pointer from junior Chelsee Black gave UAB its largest lead, 63-58, with 3:05 to play.
Sophomore Janeka Williams scored a quick layup to keep UAB's lead at five, 65-60, with 2:18 on the clock. UC Irvine cut the lead as close as two points, but the Blazers held on with Black and Williams making both of their free throws in the final 10 seconds of the game to secure the win.
Three players scored in double figures for UAB on the afternoon. Smith led all players with 28 points, junior Dy'man Webb added 12 points and Williams finished with a career-high points.
"We had some different people step up today," Norton remarked. "Janeka Williams has been on the scout team and she played 39 minutes and had 11 points. She did an outstanding job for us today. Bianca Dufelmeier came off the bench and played 30 minutes and Janae was a work horse inside for us once again."
Webb recorded her second double-double of the season, leading the Blazers with 10 rebounds. Smith finished with nine rebounds and Dufelmeier added seven boards off the bench for the Blazers.
Smith was solid all-around, leading the Blazers with four assists, four steals and three blocks along with her 28 points and nine rebounds.
"Overall, I feel like this group is not always ready to play as hard as we need to play for 40 minutes and that is our responsibility as a staff to get them to that point," Norton stated. "If we can do that, then we are going to be a really good team and win a lot of games. I am pleased with the win and we have won four of our last five games."
UAB will have a week off before it takes on cross-town rival Samford on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. CT.
For the latest news on Blazer sports, follow the UAB Athletics Twitter account: @UABathletics. For women's basketball news, follow @UAB_WBB.
