The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
NOTEBOOK: Blazers Riding High After Third-Straight C-USA Win
1/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB clamped down on the opposition’s leading scorer for the second consecutive game in Saturday’s 70-53 Conference USA victory over FIU at Bartow Arena.
FIU senior guard Dennis Mavin managed just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting from the field. He missed all three of his 3-point attempts and was 4-of-6 from the free throw line. This coming three days after Mavin, who entered averaging 17.1 points per game, lit Middle Tennessee up for 31 points, including hitting four 3-pointers.
The Blazers also made 6-foot-11 Andre Diaz ineffective on the offensive end. Diaz, who entered averaging 13.7 points per game, managed just two shots from the field, making both, on the way to five points.
UAB point guard Nick Norton said it’s been fun to play on the defensive end on Saturday and during the early part of C-USA action.
“It was very exciting, playing on the court and watching it from the bench, seeing guys get after it and easy baskets on the other end,” Norton said. “That’s what we’ll pride ourselves on the second half of the season.”
On Saturday, UAB head coach Jerod Haase said a big key was following the scouting report.
“The scouting report is awfully important for a young team because they have never seen that,” Haase said. “In high school, they probably don’t have scouting reports. Applying that does take a little bit of time to understand. Tosin (Mehinti) and Chris (Cokley) did a great job on Diaz early and not allowing him post touches. On the perimeter, we were able to put a lot of pressure on Mavin. We did a nice job of being disciplined with him.”
UAB is allowing just 53 points per game in three C-USA games thus far. FIU turned the ball over 21 times on Saturday with William Lee, Hakeem Baxter, Robert Brown and Chris Cokley each contributing two steals.
*UAB has been near automatic from the free throw line in C-USA play. On Saturday, UAB made 18-of-21 free throws with point guards Nick Norton and Denzell Watts combining to make 9-of-10.
In three C-USA games, UAB is 50-of-62 from the free throw line. Saturday was the first time in C-USA that the Blazers didn’t have to ice the game at the free throw line in the final minutes.
*Junior Robert Brown extended a streak and freshman William Lee led the team in rebounds for the third consecutive game.
Brown scored 12 points, marking the eighth consecutive game he’s reached double figures. The 6-foot-5 junior also shared team-high honors with 12 points, marking the seventh time in the past eight games that he’s had at least a share of the team lead in points.
Lee, a 6-foot-9 freshman, grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds with all but one coming on the defensive end.
*Chris Cokley continues to give UAB quality minutes in C-USA play. On Saturday, the 6-foot-8 freshman tied for team-high honors with 12 points in just 14 minutes. He made 5-of-6 shots from the field and 2-of-3 from the free throw line.
“We just keep working hard,” Cokley said. “Coach pushes us every day to get better and it’s starting to pay off on the court.”
*All 13 UAB players participated in Saturday’s game and 10 got into the scoring column. Denzel Collins hit his first 3-pointer in a UAB uniform.
