Childress Double-Double Guides UAB to 87-72 Win over MVSU

Saturday, November 11

Birmingham, Ala.

2:00 P.M.

UAB

1-0

Mississippi Valley State

0-1

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Mississippi Valley S	16	13	16	27	72
UAB	17	25	26	19	87

Childress Double-Double Guides UAB to 87-72 Win over MVSU

11/11/2017 5:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Rachael Childress scored 21 points and brought down 11 rebounds to record her first career double-double as the UAB women's basketball team defeated Mississippi Valley State 87-72 in its home opener on Saturday.

Childress recorded a new career best with her 11 boards while matching her career high in assists with five. The sophomore finished the game 7-for-12 from the floor and 6-for-11 behind the arc to help the Blazers shoot 50 percent from the floor.

UAB (1-0) is now 9-0 all-time over Mississippi Valley State with eight of those wins coming at home. The Blazers are 27-13 all-time in home openers, including 4-1 under head coach Randy Norton.

"Today's game was indicative of how we have practiced the last couple of days," Norton said. "It was sort of like a roller coaster. We saw some very positive things and then some other things that we have to work out. We have to do a better job keeping our man in front and take care of the glass. Overall, I was pleased with our performance."

Sophomore Katelynn Thomas enjoyed a career day as well, finishing with a personal best 22 points on 11-for-13 shooting in a career high 20 minutes of action. Miyah Barnes joined both Thomas and Childress as the only Blazers in double figures, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

Angela Vendrell played a big role in helping the Blazers outrebound the Devilettes, hauling in a career-high 11 boards to go along with her six points, while Kara Rawls and Imani Johnson provided eight points apiece off the bench.

UAB's victory was made possible by dominant efforts on the glass and in the paint, as the Blazers outrebounded the Devilettes 55-31 while outscoring them in the paint, 42-26. UAB also recorded 28 assists in the win.

Mississippi Valley State (0-1) was led by LaKendra Bassett, who finished the game with 22 points and a team-best five assists.

After a defensive slugfest in the first quarter, UAB broke through in the dying minutes of the first half as the Green and Gold used a 12-2 run over the final 4:12 to take a 42-29 advantage into the locker room.

Thomas provided a spark early in the second half, scoring six of the Blazers' opening 10 points to help keep the Blazers up comfortably at 52-38 with just over 15 minutes of action remaining.

UAB achieved its largest lead of the game just four seconds into the final period of play as Thomas punched in a layup to cap off a 10-1 run that started with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter to give the Blazers a 70-45 lead.

From there, the Blazers were able to hold off a pesky Devilette offense that finished the game with 11 made 3-pointers to seal the 87-72 victory.

UAB returns to action on Nov. 13 as the Green and Gold host Southern Illinois in Bartow Arena as part of a doubleheader with the UAB men. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on CUSA.tv.

For more information on the UAB women's basketball team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), Instagram (UAB_WBBALL) or like them on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABWBB).