The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Women's Basketball Welcomes Louisiana Tech Thursday
1/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Louisiana Tech (7-7, 2-1 C-USA) at UAB (7-7, 1-2 C-USA)
Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. CT
Birmingham, Ala. - Bartow Arena
Coverage: Live Stats | Listen Free | Watch
UAB Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team will return home to host Louisiana Tech on Thursday night in Conference USA action. The Blazers and Lady Techsters are set to tip at 7 p.m. CT.
UAB (7-7, 1-2 C-USA) looks to win its second-straight game after topping FIU, 68-45, on the road on Sunday. Louisiana Tech (7-7, 2-1 C-USA) will carry a two-game win streak into the contest after defeating UTEP and UTSA last week.
Fans can listen to the game free on UABsports.com with Laura Waldrop (play-by-play) and Holly Berry (color analyst) on the call. A live stream will also be available on UABsports.com for all-access subscribers.
For the latest news on Blazer sports, follow the UAB Athletics Twitter account: @UABathletics. For women's basketball news, follow @UAB_WBB.
Blazer Bits
- UAB picked up its first win in Conference USA play, defeating FIU, 68-45, in Miami on Sunday afternoon. The Blazers had three players score in double figures, led by senior Janae Smith's 17 points. Smith also recorded her third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds in the contest.
- This will be just the second meeting between UAB and Louisiana Tech as the teams began the series in the 2013-14 season when the Lady Techsters joined C-USA. The Blazers won the game, 71-62, on Feb. 15 in Ruston, La. Thursday's game will mark the first time the two teams will play in Bartow Arena.
- The Blazers have picked up the offensive intensity since beginning league play. Through three games, UAB is leading C-USA with a .459 field goal percentage (73-of-159). Most recently, the Blazers shot 51.9 percent from the field to top FIU.
- Battle behind the arc: UAB and Louisiana Tech are two of the top 3-point teams in C-USA play. The Lady Techsters are leading with a .467 percentage and the Blazers are third at .438. UAB also ranks third in 3-point defense, holding its opponents to just a .288 percentage from behind the arc.
- UAB is leading C-USA in blocks with 6.3 per game after totaling 17 combined in its last two contests. The Blazers set a season-high with eight blocks against Florida Atlantic, and then quickly topped that with nine in the win over FIU.
Notes
Series
UAB and Louisiana Tech are meeting for just the second time in series history. The series began last season on Feb. 15, 2014, when the Blazers topped the Lady Techsters, 71-62, in Ruston, La. It was the first season that Louisiana Tech was a member of Conference USA. The two teams will meet for the first time in Bartow Arena on Thursday.
Scouting the Lady Techsters
Louisiana Tech (7-7, 2-1 C-USA) has won two-straight games after defeating UTEP, 90-72, and UTSA, 79-74, last week. The Lady Techsters have two players averaging in double figures, led by Whitney Frazier with 15.4 points per game. Kelia Shelton leads the team with 6.6 rebounds per game and Frazier is adding 6.4. Louisiana Tech ranks second in C-USA in scoring offense, averaging 82.0 points per game in conference play.
Offensive Power
The Blazers have developed as one of the most efficient offensive teams in conference play. UAB is leading the league with a .459 field goal percentage and has shot over 40 percent in two of its three games. The Blazers are also shooting well from 3-point range, ranking third in C-USA with a .438 clip.
Anderson Blocks To Career-high
Junior Kayla Anderson, who set the UAB single season record with 56 blocks as a sophomore, has returned to her dominance inside after tallying a career-best six blocks in the win over FIU. Her 12 blocks this season gives her 96 blocks for her career, which moved into fourth-place all-time. Deanna Jackson holds the UAB career record with 125 blocks.
Black Finding Rhythm in Conference
Junior Chelsee Black has been the leading scorer for the Blazers in C-USA play. She is averaging 16.3 points per game against conference opponents. Black has been successful from behind the arc, ranking fourth in 3-point percentage (.571) and fifth in 3-point field goals made (2.7/game).
