The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Marshall
Blazers Drop Close Contest in Huntington
1/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: UAB 58, Marshall 61 Final Box (PDF)
Records: UAB (8-8, 1-4 C-USA), Marshall (11-6, 3-3)
Location: Cam Henderson Center
Series Record: Marshall leads 13-12; At Cam Henderson: 5-7; Norton vs. Marshall: 2-4
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – The UAB women’s basketball fought until the end, but it wasn’t enough as the Blazers fell to Marshall, 61-58, at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W. Va., on Saturday. UAB was led by Deanna Kuzmanic’s 10 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the opening 10 minutes, UAB and Marshall battled for points early on, as the teams were knotted 8-all with 3:30 to play. The Herd got hot to end the quarter as they went on a 9-0 run to take a 17-8 lead at the first break.
- The Blazers found their groove in the second quarter as they outscored Marshall 19-10 to tie the game at 27-all. UAB held Marshall without a field goal for the final five minutes as it chipped away at the Herd’s lead.
- UAB earned its first lead of the contest, 32-30, as it scored back-to-back buckets to start the third quarter. However, an 11-3 run by Marshall allowed the Herd to lead at the end of the quarter 48-44.
- The Blazers and Herd traded baskets to start the fourth, until a 6-0 run allowed UAB to tie the contest at 53-all with 2:34 remaining. UAB and Marshall went neck-in-neck to close out the contest, but Marshall was able to stave off the Blazers comeback.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic’s 10 points is the ninth double-figure came of her career
- Kuzmanic led UAB in scoring for the fifth time this season and 16th time in her career
- Freshman Miyah Barnes hit a career high three 3-pointers (3)
- Freshman Rachael Childress reeled in a career-best seven rebounds
- Junior Kara Rawls was perfect from the field (4-of-4)
- Rawls had a career-best two blocks
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic made her 47th consecutive start, the longest active streak on the team; Junior Keonna Farmer made 16th career start, a career long
TEAM NOTES
- UAB moves to 8-8 this season and 1-4 in C-USA play
- Head coach Randy Norton drops to 57-52 and 26-31 in conference play
- The starting lineup of Deanna Kuzmanic, Miyah Barnes, Rachael Childress, Keonna Farmer, and Janeka Williams drops to 1-2
- Four of UAB’s first five C-USA games points have been decided by one possession
- Four of the Blazers first five C-USA games have been decided by a combined total of eight points (Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Rice, and Marshall)
- UAB’s bench outscored Marshall 18-13; the Blazer bench has outscored or tied its opponents 13 times this season
- UAB was tied at halftime for the first time this season
- UAB’s eight points in the first quarter is a season low
BREAKING DOWN THE BOX SCORE
- UAB had just one player in double figures – Kuzmanic (10) – but three scored nine points in the balanced attack (Childress, Barnes and Rawls)
- Rachael Childress reeled in 7 rebounds to lead UAB
- Marshall had a trio of Herd players in double figures (Hamilton, 15; Gore, 13; Evans, 11)
- UAB led in bench points (18-13), second chance points (10-7), and points off turnovers (14-8); Marshall led in points in the paint (32-24) and fast-break points (6-2)
- The Blazers out rebounded the Thundering Herd 41-29; each team had 25 defensive rebounds
- UAB committed 14 turnovers to Marshall’s 12; the Blazers dished out 16 assists, record two steals, and one block
- UAB shot 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from the field in the second quarter and 50 percent (7-of-14) from the field in the third quarter
UP NEXT
UAB returns to the friendly confines of Bartow Arena as it hosts Florida Atlantic on Thursday January 19. Tip between the Blazers and Owls is slated for 7 p.m. The weekend continues on Saturday with Alumni Day with the Blazers hosting FIU at 2 p.m. Alumni Day features a ticket deal and UAB will honor Deanna Jackson as they retire her jersey.
For more information on UAB women's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), Instagram (@UAB_WBBALL)
