The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Southern Illinois
Balanced Attack Leads Blazers Past Salukis, 64-49
12/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. –The UAB women’s basketball team, who has been led offensively by five different players in its first six games, used a balanced attack to earn its first road win of the season, a 64-49 victory over SIU at SIU Arena on Saturday.
Score: UAB 64, Southern Illinois 49 Final Box (PDF)
Records: UAB (4-2, 0-0 C-USA), Southern Illinois (3-4, 0-0 MVC)
Location: Carbondale, Ill., at SIU Arena (8,339)
Series Record: UAB remains a perfect 2-0 against SIU and improved to 5-4 against MVS opponents; UAB picked up its first win in Carbondale, Ill.
UAB HIGHLIGHTS
- UAB improves to 4-2 during the 2016-17 season, and 5-4 against Missouri Valley Conference opponents
- UAB is off to its 10th 4-2 start in program history
- UAB picks up its first road win of the season and its first road win since a 67-62 victory at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 6, 2016
- The Blazers won their sixth consecutive game in the month of December, a streak continued from the 2015-16 season
- Randy Norton remains undefeated against MVC foes
- UAB’s bench accounted for 46.9% (30-of-64) of the team’s total points; the bench now accounts for 43.8% (182-of-416) of the teams points this season
- The Blazers held the Salukis’ to 22 first half points, the fewest scored on the Blazers in the first half this season
- UAB held the Salukis to 49 points in the game; the Blazers have held their last two opponents under 50 points (Mississippi Valley State, 46, on Nov. 28)
- UAB improves to 4-0 when leading at halftime
- The Salukis’ 9.1% (1-of-11) 3FG% in the first half is the lowest the Blazers have allowed an opponent to shoot in the first half this season
- Every Blazer that saw action made it on the scoreboard for the second time this season; last was a 75-66 win Nov. 21 against High Point
- UAB’s recorded 12 assists compared to just nine turnovers; the Blazers have recorded more assists than turnovers in all six contests this season
- UAB won the turnover battle against Southern Illinois; the Blazers have had fewer turnovers than its opponent in every game but one this season (DePaul)
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Junior Whytney Singleton played a game on her birthday for the second consecutive season. She has dropped 14 points, dished five assists, and gathered four rebounds in the two games
- Junior Whytney Singleton 14 points is her second double figure scoring game of the season and third of her career
- Junior Whytney Singleton led the Blazers in points; the fifth Blazers to lead in scoring in UAB’s first six games
- Junior Keonna Farmer’s 10 rebounds led the Blazers; Farmer has reeled in team-high boards in three of the first six games
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic’s 13 points marks her fourth double figure game of the season and 25th of her career
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic made her 37th consecutive start, the longest active streak on the team
- Freshman Micah Sheetz’s three rebounds ties a career high
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A slow start was not a problem for the Blazers. After trailing 8-3 early in the first quarter, UAB closed out the half on a 12-2 run, earning the team a 15-10 advantage at the end of the first.
- The Salukis were able to cut the UAB lead to one, 20-19, at the 5:46 mark in the second quarter, but Deanna Kuzmanic’s eight points kept SIU at bay, as the Blazers headed into the half with a 28-22 lead.
- As the announcers on ESPN3 stated – Whytney Singleton was the difference in the third quarter. All six of Singleton’s points closed out the quarter for UAB, allowing the team to hold 45-38 advantage.
- In the fourth the Blazers opened with a 7-0 run, extending their lead to 14 points, 52-38, which was too much for the Salukis to overcome. The Blazers shot 50 percent (6-of-12) in the final 10 minutes, to SIU’s 4-of-16 showing (25 percent).
BREAKING DOWN THE BOX SCORE
- Whytney Singleton dropped a season-best 14 points as she shot 5-of-7 from the floor
- Keonna Farmer reeled in a game-best 10 rebounds
- UAB, who ranked seventh in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, shot 50 percent from long range (4-of-8)
- UAB, who has struggled at free throws, shot 73.7 percent from the charity stripe (14-of-19)
- UAB’s bench produced 30 points
- UAB outscored SIU 32-24 in the paint
- The Blazers held the Salukis to just 3-of-20 from long range (15 percent)
- UAB committed just nine turnovers – and dished out 12 assists. Coming into the game, UAB ranked 23rd in the NCAA in assist/TO ratio
- Whytney Singleton and Deanna Kuzmanic dished out three assists apiece to lead all
- UAB shot 52.0 percent (13-of-25) in the second half
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Randy Norton
On the win…
It was a great team win. Every single player that played scored – and I cannot remember that happening in such a close game. We took care of the basketball with only nine turnovers, which is a key stat for me. We didn’t shoot very well, but we locked in on defense and were assignment correct.
UP NEXT
The Blazers return to Birmingham as they travel to cross town rival Samford on December 8. The Blazers then return home to host No. 8/9 Florida State on December 10 at Bartow Arena.
For more information on UAB women's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), Instagram (@UAB_WBBALL)
