The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Troy
UAB Claims Close Win at Troy
12/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: UAB 81 Troy 77 Final Box (PDF)
Records: UAB (5-4), Troy (6-3)
Location: Trojan Arena (5,000), Troy, Ala.
Series Record: UAB improves to 8-2 all-time against Troy; 3-1 in games played in Troy
TROY, Ala. – In a complete team effort, the UAB women’s basketball escaped Trojan Arena with an 81-77 victory over Troy on Sunday afternoon. The Blazers upperclassmen helped guide UAB past the Trojans as Janeka Williams and Kara Rawls made crucial plays down the stretch to halt Troy’s comeback.
UAB HIGHLIGHTS
- UAB improves to 5-4 in the 2016-17 season and 8-2 all time in the series with Troy
- Head coach Randy Norton remains undefeated against Sun Belt Conference schools (5-0)
- UAB had five players score in double figures for the first time this season and first time since an 82-32 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff Dec. 3, 2015
- UAB’s 81 points is a season high and the most since scoring 89 against Troy on Dec. 18, 2015
- The freshmen quartet of Miyah Barnes, Micah Scheetz, Rachael Childress, and Imani Johnson poured in 44 points accounting for 54 percent (44-of-81) of the team’s total points
- Freshmen Rachael Childress and Miyah Barnes played a career high 39 minutes a piece; Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic played a season high 39 minutes
- Head coach Randy Norton improves to 6-3 against teams from the state of Alabama
- UAB debuted its third starting lineup of the season; Deanna Kuzmanic, Keonna Farmer, Miyah Barnes, Micah Scheetz, and Rachael Childress are 1-0 this season
- UAB remains undefeated when leading at the half (5-0)
- UAB has trailed after the first quarter in six of its nine games, they picked up their second victory when trailing at the end of the first break (2-4)
- UAB played its first Sunday game this season
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Freshman Rachael Childress made her first career start, the fourth freshman to start this season
- Rachael Childress poured in a game and career high 17 points; scoring in double figures for the fourth time in her career
- Rachael Childress’ six made field goals is a career high; her four made three-pointers ties a season high
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic’s six field goals ties a season high while her four three-pointers made ties a season high
- Deanna Kuzmanic’s scored in double figures for the 26th time in her career; fifth time this season
- Junior Keonna Farmer scored 10 points; her second double figure game of the season and ninth of her career
- Freshman Micah Scheetz’s 10 points marks the third double figure game of her career
- Freshman Miyah Barnes netted double figures for the fourth time in her career (11)
- Rachael Childress’ five assists set a career high
- Senior Janeka Williams’ four points is a season high
- Junior Kara Rawls was perfect from the field (3-for-3)
- Kara Rawls two assists is a season high
- Keonna Farmer led the Blazers in rebounds (eight) for the fifth consecutive game, sixth time this season, and seventh time in her career
- Freshman Imani Johnson tied a career high in steals (one) for the sixth time this season
- Deanna Kuzmanic made her 40th consecutive start, the longest active streak on the team
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After Coach Randy Norton called timeout, the Blazers executed an inbounds play, which led to a Kara Rawls layup – giving UAB its final lead at 88-87. In the next possession, Janeka Williams made 1-of-2 at the free throw line, but hustled as she got the rebound from four Trojans – leading to a pair of free throws for Rawls, which pushed UAB past Troy, 81-77.
- A slow start for both teams proved to be no problem as UAB used a 10-0 run to take a 10-3 run early in the first quarter. The Blazers and Trojans went bucket for bucket to close out the first 10 minutes, but Troy held a slight 16-13 lead at the end of the first break.
- UAB opened the second quarter with an 11-2 spurt to claim a 24-18 lead with just under seven minutes to go in the first half. The Blazers outscored the Trojans 26-21 in the second, allowing UAB to head into the break with a 39-37.
- The Trojans held the Blazers scoreless for four minutes in the start of the third, as it took a 59-53 lead, but baskets by Deanna Kuzmanic and Rachael Childress cut the lead to three heading into the fourth quarter at 61-58.
- A triple with eight minutes to play gave Troy its largest lead of the game, 66-59, but UAB was relentless and closed out the final eight minutes outscoring Troy, 22-11, on its way to the victory.
BREAKING DOWN THE BOX SCORE
- UAB shot 49.1 percent (27-of-55) overall, and 53.3 percent (24-of-43) not including the first quarter
- All five starters scored in double figures, and were led by Rachael Childress’ 17points
- UAB led for just over 20 minutes in the contest in a game that saw 13 lead changes
- UAB held Troy, the seventh-best scoring offense in the country, to 77 points, 11.7 points below its previous season average
- The Blazers held the Trojans leading scorer, Jayla Chills, to just four points
- Rachael Childress led the team with five assists, a career-best
- UAB outscored Troy 11-8 in fastbreak points
- UAB committed 27 turnovers, a season-high
- UAB dished out 21 assists on 27 buckets
- UAB’s 40 rebounds is the second 40+ rebounding game of the season
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Randy Norton
On how the team came back in the fourth quarter…
Troy has an outstanding team and I just got done telling our team that they are top-100 in the country and a ranked mid-major team that’s averaging over 90 points a game. I thought that our kids played with so much fight and they never quit. In the fourth quarter we were down six and hit a couple of big shots. We thought all of our starters played well and I think our bench was outstanding. Kara Rawls, Imani Johnson, and Janeka (Williams). (Janeka), who hasn’t played much this year, came in like that – I thought she came in and was the toughest player on the floor. She came in, didn’t feel sorry for herself, and was ready to play.
On Janeka Williams…
She was ready. We talk to our players all the time about when your called on being ready. I thought she was the difference, she brought some toughness into the game and made some big plays. She had four rebounds in her short time in there, one was an offensive rebound that was one against four and that was big. I’m really proud of our team, it was a great team win.
UP NEXT
The Blazers return to Bartow Arena for an afternoon matinee on Wednesday, December 21 at 1 p.m. against South Alabama.
For more information on UAB women's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), Instagram (@UAB_WBBALL)
