The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hoops Welcomes Middle Tennessee for ASN Showdown
2/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
UAB Notes // Middle Tennessee Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB women's basketball team is looking for revenge as it hosts preseason Conference USA favorite Middle Tennessee on Sunday at Bartow Arena. The Blazers and Blue Raiders are slated to tip at noon on the American Sports Network.
The game will be televised live on ASN with Doug Bell and Debbie Taylor on the call. Blazer fans can also catch all the action by listening live to Halle Berry at UABSports.com.
UAB (13-11, 6-7) is riding a three-game win streak heading into Sunday's contest. The Blazers have taken down back-to-back opponents that ranked ahead of them in the C-USA standings.
It its latest victory, UAB used its hot shooting from the field in the first quarter to take down LA Tech, 64-49, at Bartow Arena. The Blazers were led by Brittany Winborne, who earned her 12th double-double of the season, the 15th of her career, with 10 points and rebounds. Chelsee Black, who paces UAB on the season, poured in 18 points, while Kara Rawls added a career-best 11 points. Deanna Kuzmanic, who ranks fourth among all freshmen in the nation in treys per game, chipped in 10 points.
The trio of Winborne, Black and Kuzmanic led the Blazers day in and day out as they account for 58.5 percent (862-of-1,474) of UAB's point total throughout the season, and play in nearly half the squad's total minutes.
Winborne's performance lands her in the top marks throughout the NCAA. In rebounds per game, she ranks 19th in the nation, averaging 10.4 a night while shooting the 22nd-best percentage at 56.2 percent for the year. In C-USA standings the Baltimore, Maryland., native ranks first in rebounds, offensive rebounds (4.3) and field goal percentage and is tied for second with teammate Kayla Anderson in blocked shots per game (1.5). She averages a double-double in 30 minutes of play.
Middle Tennessee (17-7, 11-2) comes to Birmingham riding an eight-game win streak. The Blue Raiders' pair of league losses came at UTSA and against Old Dominion. MT is led by Brea Edwards, who pours in 19.2 points per showing. The senior ranks eighth in 3-pointers per game (3.3) and seventh in her percentage beyond the arc (44.9).
On the glass, Edwards reels in 7.4 rebounds per night, a team-high for the Blue Raiders. Ty Petty and Alex Johnson both tally double-digit points for Middle Tennessee with 11.8 and 10.8, respectively.
Sunday's matchup marks the 13th time the programs have met. Middle Tennessee holds a 7-5 advantage in the series history; earlier in the season, the Blue Raiders added a win to the record books as they defeated the Blazers 68-40 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
UAB claimed its first meeting in the series opener, 76-68, on Nov. 23, 1990. The Blazers' last win against the Blue Raiders was Feb. 28, 2015, as it won on the road, 62-57.
UAB and MT met for the first conference game of the season at the Murphy Center. In the 68-40 loss, Black led the Blazers with nine points. Olivia Jones, who is no longer with the team, led the Blue Raiders, while guards Edwards and Petty scored 15 apiece.
