The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
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UTEP
UAB Falls to C-USA Leader UTEP
1/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Stats l Final Box
EL PASO, Texas. -- After leading for the majority of the contest, the UAB (7-7, 0-3) women's basketball team could not halt UTEP's (13-1, 4-0) fourth quarter efforts as it fell to the Miners, 62-54, at the Don Haskins Center Sunday night on Fox Sports.
Chelsee Black led the Blazers pouring in 16 points in thanks to a 4-of-8 showing from long range. Meanwhile, Brittany Winborne reeled in a Conference-USA, career-high 14 rebounds, chipping in eight points. T'erra Lewis added a career-high 10 points as she went 3-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.
After five scoring changes, the Blazers took an 8-7 lead with 5:03 to play in the first quarter as they took control of the game until the 8:14 mark in the fourth quarter.
The Blazers were able to hold a 15-11 lead at the first quarter, the first time the Miners have trailed at the opening break. UAB continued its relentless fight as it extended its lead to 23-16 in part to Winborne's six straight points with 4:32 to go in the first half.
At the midway point, the Blazers held a 28-21 lead. The last time UTEP trailed at the midway point was when it lost to Long Beach State, its lone fault on the season. UTEP came out with fire, but Lewis had an answer at every moment as she went on a six-point run on her own to hold off the Miners as UAB led, 42-36, before the start of the fourth.
However, it was the fourth quarter that allowed the Miners into the game. UAB held a 42-36 lead heading into the final stretch, but the 11-3 run paired with a four-minute scoring drought for the Blazers allowed the Miners to take a 47-45 lead with 7:18 to go, which it would cling onto for the remainder of the contest.
At the break, the Blazers held a 28-21 advantage as Winborne, Kuzmanic and Black all tallied eight points apiece to lead the attack. Winborne's dominate performance in the second quarter included six straight points in thanks to some post work forcing Miner fouls, which she made them pay for sinking both and-one opportunities.
In the first half, UAB was able to disrupt the Miner offense holding them to just 7-of-31 (22.6 percent) from the floor, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. Fouls by the Blazers (11) allowed for 7-of-11 showing from the charity stripe for the Miners, which kept the game close throughout the first two periods.
UTEP was led by Sparkle Taylor, who netted 21 points, including 16 second-half points. She went 7-of-13 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the charity stripe. Jenzel Nash, the squads leading scorer, shot 7-of-17 from the floor on her way to 14 points, while Cameasha Turner added 13.
The Blazers held the Miners to 29.4 percent (5-of-17) in the first and 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) from the floor in the second, but UTEP's 9-of-13 shooting showing in the fourth enabled the comeback.
Next up, the Blazers return to the friendly confines of Bartow Arena as they face off against Old Dominion on Thursday, January 14, at 7 p.m.
The Conference USA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are set to return to Birmingham for the second consecutive year, marking the third time the Blazers will host the event. The men's tournament, as well as the women's semifinals and championship, will be played at Legacy Arena in downtown Birmingham, while the women's first round and quarterfinal action will take place at UAB's Bartow Arena.
For more information on UAB men's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), on Instagram (@UAB_WBBALLs) or on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABWomensBasketball). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
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