The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Falls at UTSA on Last Second Bucket
1/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Final Box
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -
SAN ANTONIO, Texas. -- A second-chance shot as time expired pushed UTSA past the UAB women's hoops team, 54-52, at the Convocation Center on Thursday night. Senior guard Chelsee Black and freshman guard Deanna Kuzmanic led the Blazers with 13 points apiece, while Brittany Winborne reeled in 11 boards.
Black scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half as she shot 4-of-9 on the night. The Bessemer, Ala., native was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Kuzmanic, who ranks ninth amongst freshmen in treys per contest in the nation, sunk three triples.
"On the defensive end, we had too many breakdowns, which are costly when you are not shooting well, and turning the ball over," head coach Randy Norton said. "We will continue to focus on getting better and will consistently give our best effort moving forward."
After trailing 36-28 with 4:09 to play in the third, UAB (7-6, 0-2) worked its way back from the eight-point deficit as it closed out the half on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 28-all.
To open the fourth, Bianca Dufelmeier sank a trey to extend the Blazers' lead to 41-38, however, back-and-forth play ensued as UTSA and UAB fought tooth and nail throughout the remaining minutes of the contest.
Dufelmeier scored a crucial layup on a put back with 47 seconds to play, however, three offensive rebounds by the Roadrunners allowed them to hold possession for the final seconds of the game, allowing them to secure the win on a layup as the clock expired.
It was a slow start for both squads, but UTSA was able to hold an 11-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Blazers quickly found their momentum as they went on an 11-3 run to take their first lead of the night, 17-16, at the 5:05 mark. The Roadrunners would not go down without a fight as they responded with a 7-0 run of their own to retake the lead and more as UTSA went into the break with a slight 22-21 advantage.
Kuzmanic wasted no time as she came out in the second half to drain six straight points, courtesy of two treys, to allow the Blazers to take a 27-22 lead with 7:02 to play in the third. However, that sparked the Roadrunners' offense as they went on a 14-1 run to take their largest lead of the contest, eight, with 4:09 to go in the third.
Black helped propel UAB out of the slump as she scored six straight points, which turned into a 10-2 Blazer run. At the end of the third, the score was knotted at 38-all.
Back-and-forth play ensued for the final quarter of action as both squads were relentless in their efforts. However, UTSA was able to escape with the win as the ball swished into the back of the net as time expired.
The Blazers edged out the Roadrunners shooting 36.4 percent (20-of-55) to their 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the floor. UAB also outpaced UTSA shooting 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from beyond the arc, while the Roadrunners shot 25 percent (2-of-8). At the charity strip, UTSA sunk 10 free throws, while UAB finished with eight.
After outscoring UTSA 14-8 in the paint in the first half, the Roadrunners ended the night outscoring UAB, 30-22. UTSA capitalized on 16 UAB turnovers scoring 24 points. UAB's bench, which has been strong for the Blazers, was outscored, 37-11.
UAB continues its road slate as it heads to UTEP on Sunday for a Fox Sports matchup at 6 p.m. The Lady Miners have been receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for the last five weeks and has secured the No. 1 spot in the league with an 11-1 overall record, 2-0 in Conference USA play.
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)
