The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Old Dominion
Old Dominion Outlasts UAB in Defensive Battle, 58-46
1/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Stats | Box Score 
NORFOLK, Va. - Senior Janae Smith recorded a double-double with a game-high 21 points, but it wasn't enough as the UAB women's basketball team fell to Old Dominion, 58-46, on Saturday afternoon in Norfolk, Va.
"That was a frustrating game today," head coach Randy Norton said. "Give credit to Old Dominion, I thought they played hard and competed. It was ugly basketball but they found a way to win today and we didn't. We shot 25 percent for the game and at the Division I level you are not going to win very many games like that."
UAB (9-9, 3-4 C-USA) used solid defense to hold Old Dominion (11-7, 4-3 C-USA) to a 33 percent field goal percentage, but the Blazers struggled offensively as they shot just 25 percent for the game.
Smith's 21 points was the fifth time she has scored over 20 points this season. She also picked her the fourth double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds. Senior Miranda Burroughs added eight points, junior Chelsee Black finished with seven and freshman Whytney Singleton had a career-high six points.
It was a defensive battle from the beginning as both teams struggled to find the basket. UAB was out early, 5-2, but Old Dominion went ahead 6-5 at the 14:34 mark after a 6-0 run from the floor.
UAB regained the lead when Burroughs buried a 3-pointer from the wing that gave the Blazers a 10-9 advantage. ODU answered right back with a three of its own and used a 7-0 run to take a 20-12 lead with 3:38 remaining.
Freshman Whytney Singleton halted the run with a 3-pointer to cut it to 20-15, but once again Old Dominion responded with a three to go up, 23-15. The Lady Monarchs had the ball with 13 seconds remaining, but sophomore Janeka Williams picked up a steal and found Smith for a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the Blazers into halftime down, 27-20.
The momentum carried over into the second half for UAB, as the Blazers used a 6-0 run to pull within one point, 27-26, and force an Old Dominion timeout at the 17:05 mark. UAB held the Lady Monarchs scoreless until the 14:57 mark in the second period.
Old Dominion was back up by five, but the Blazers cut the lead back down to two after Burroughs connected on her second three of the day, 33-31. However, Old Dominion would counter with a 7-0 run. UAB remained close after a jumper from Burroughs and another 3-pointer by Singleton to trail 40-36.
After falling behind by 10, Black hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 46-41 with 1:40 left in the game. UAB was unable to get any closer as the Lady Monarchs converted 12-of-14 free throws in the final two minutes to close out the 58-46 win.
UAB will return home for to Conference USA games this week. The Blazers host UTEP on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT and UTSA on Saturday 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.
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