The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Truman State
UAB Edged By Truman State In Exhibition Game
11/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team fell to Truman State, 67-61, in an exhibition game on Wednesday night in Bartow Arena. The Blazers had three players finish in double-digits on the night.
"I felt like defensively we couldn't guard them," head coach Randy Norton said. "They beat us off the dribble, in the post and we gave up open threes. We did not play well defensively. Offensively, we had twenty more shots than them. Of our 66 shots, 50 were in the paint, so I thought we had great looks at the basket. They just flat out played better than us tonight."
UAB was leading 30-25 at the half, but 42 points in the second half for Truman State helped seal the victory for the Bulldogs. The Blazers finished 37.9 percent from the field, while Truman State shot 44.4 percent, including 54.5 percent in the second half.
Senior Janae Smith led UAB with 25 points on the night, while juniors Dy'man Webb and Chelsee Black each added 11 points. Webb finished the night with a double-double, adding a team-high 13 rebounds. Norton's daughter, Allie Norton, finished with 24 points to lead the Bulldogs.
"Dy'man (Webb), in my opinion, played her best game since I've been here," Norton remarked. "She was outstanding off the bench for us tonight."
The Blazers committed just 11 turnovers and out-rebounded Truman State, 42-37 in the contest. UAB finished with 18 offensive rebounds, while holding the Bulldogs to just six.
The Blazers were on the board first with a layup by junior Brittany Winborne. Winborne had the first four points for UAB. Truman State took the lead at 10-9 after one of the five made three-pointers by (Allie) Norton.
A jumper by Dy'man Webb swung the lead back in UAB's favor, 13-12. The Blazers would stretch it out to a 10-point lead, the largest of the game, up 27-17 with 5:18 remaining in the first half. Truman State was able to cut the lead to five, 30-25, heading into the break.
Early in the second half, UAB pushed the lead to eight with a 38-30 advantage, but the Bulldogs would not go lightly as they used an 8-2 run to tie the game at 42-42 with 13:54 remaining on the clock.
The teams traded the lead several times before the game was tied again at 49-49, when UAB scored on a layup by Smith at the 7:40 mark then added a three on the next drip down the court to make it 54-49. The Blazers remained in control until a 7-2 run by the Bulldogs would give them the 59-58 lead with 2:24 to go in the game.
(Allie) Norton went to the line and connected on both free throws to give Truman State a 61-60 lead with 1:13 to go. The Blazers had their shot blocked and a three by Allison Wiese put the Bulldogs ahead 64-60.
UAB made a free throw after Smith was sent to the line to shoot two, but the Blazers were unable to put more points on the board as Truman State held on for the 67-61 win.
The Blazers will open the 2014-15 season on the road at Florida State on Friday, Nov. 14. UAB and FSU are slated to tip off 6 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.
