UAB Picks Up 85-54 Rivalry Win Over Memphis

Thursday, November 15

Birmingham, Ala.

6 p.m.

UAB

2-0, 0-0

Memphis

1-2, 0-0

Memphis

UAB

UAB Picks Up 85-54 Rivalry Win Over Memphis

11/15/2018 9:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

BIRMINGHAM – Allowing just 11 points in the first half, the UAB women's basketball team cruised to an 85-54 win over Memphis on Thursday night at Bartow Arena.

The win over the Tigers marked the Blazers first since 2011, while the 31-point win was second largest margin of victory for UAB in the rivalry that began in 1980.

"It was a great win for our girls," head coach Randy Norton said. "I thought we played for 40 minutes, we played extremely hard and were engaged. Defensively, I felt like they really followed the game plan and then offensively we did what we do. We shared the basketball, we shot the ball well, had 29 assists to 11 turnovers and that was outstanding. Everybody contributed and it was just a great, great team effort."

Memphis (1-2, 0-0 American) netted five quick points in the first minute of the game, before a layup from Katelynn Thomas and the first of Rachael Childress' five 3-pointers tied the game at five. The Blazers closed the first quarter on a 13-2 run to lead 18-7 after the opening frame.

UAB (2-0, 0-0 C-USA) continued its defensive dominance in the second quarter as it held Memphis to just four points in the frame and took a 23-4 lead in the locker room at halftime.

The Tigers grabbed the first bucket of the second half, but Deanna Kuzmanic quickly answered knocking down consecutive field goals. The teams traded buckets as 10 of UAB's 20 points in the frame came in the paint and UAB lead 61-33 going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was all UAB as Margaret Whitley hit a 3-pointer with 3:42 remaining in the contest to put the Blazers up by 39, their largest lead of the night, and lift UAB to its second consecutive victory.

UAB held Memphis to just a 31.8 percent (21-of-66) mark from the field, while keeping the Tigers at just 24.0 percent (6-of-25) from long range. Through two games this season, UAB is holding opponents to just 8-of-47, 17.0 percent, from beyond the 3-point line.

"Defensively it was one of those things where we try to put our team in a good position to be successful, but the game plan does not matter if the players do not go out and perform it," Norton said. "I thought they did a great job and guarded hard."

Miyah Barnes finished the night with a career-high 11 assists as six came in the first half. The Memphis native pitched in eight points, while reeling in a team-high five rebounds.

Childress lead UAB with 23 points as she tallied her seventh career 20+ point night and her 26th career time to lead the Blazers in scoring. The junior also added four assists and three rebounds.

Kuzmanic also found the double digit scoring column for the 59th time in her career with 15 points as she went 7-for-9 from the field and added five assists.

Freshmen Whitley and Sarah Rosenfeldt contributed offensively as they finished with career highs in points. Whitley was 3-of-5 from long range for nine points, while Rosenfeldt picked up a pair of field goals and added a free throw to finish the night with five points.

Collectively, UAB hit a season-high 10 3-pointers on the night and shot 54.8 percent (34-of-62) from the field. The Blazers also finished the night with 29 assists, just five shy of the school record for most in a single game.

Jasmine James finished the night with 12 points, while Alana Davis reeled in 13 rebounds for the Tigers.

UAB now sets its sights on a three-game road swing, beginning Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Chicago State followed by a trip to the Bahamas to play in the Junkanoo Jam Nov. 22-24.

Women's basketball season tickets are available by purchasing the 2018-19 Gold Card for $65. The Gold Card includes access to home volleyball, baseball and softball games in addition to all 12 of women's basketball's remaining home contests. Contact the UAB Ticket Office, (205) 975-UAB1, for more details.

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