Record Setting Night Lifts UAB Over Coppin State

Thursday, December 20

Fort Myers, Fla.

4 p.m.

UAB

10-1

Coppin State

0-11

Coppin State

UAB

Record Setting Night Lifts UAB Over Coppin State

12/20/2018 6:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A record setting 18 3-point field goals made lifted the (RV) UAB women's basketball team over Coppin State 86-61 in the opening round of the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic on Thursday night at Alico Arena.

The 18 pointers surpassed the previous mark of 17 set at UTEP last season on February 3, as they helped UAB to a 10-1 mark on the season setting the program record for best start to a season.

"I was kind of frustrated with our defense and then I looked at the stat sheet and offensively we had a lot of positive things," head coach Randy Norton said. "I look at the assist to turnovers and we had 25 to 11, and 18 3-pointers."

Deanna Kuzmanic led UAB in scoring and rebounding with 17 and eight, respectively. The senior matched her career high in rebounding en route to being the only player on the team to finish with double digit points in every game this season.

Rachael Childress finished the game with 15 points off of five made buckets from beyond the arc. The junior recorded her 51st 10+ point performance and her 44th game with three or more 3-pointers.

Margaret Whitley rounded out the Blazers in double figures as she netted a career high 12 points. The freshman finished with a career high four 3-pointers as three came in the third quarter.

Coppin State opened the game on a 5-0 run before Katelynn Thomas hit UAB's first bucket at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter. The Blazers climbed back to tie the game at nine all as Thomas hit another layup with four minutes left to play in the frame. Whitley's first 3-pointer at the 1:02 mark gave UAB its first lead, 17-15, but an Eagle layin with seconds left tied the game at 17 after the first quarter.

The teams opened the second quarter going shot for shot as Kuzmanic gave UAB back the lead with a triple with 5:17 left in the half. Coppin State battled back to cut the lead to one with 2:59 left, Lea Kerstein hit 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to spark an 11-4 run to close the first half and give UAB a 41-35 lead to take into the break.

Childress put the Blazers on the board in the second half with a 3-pointer two minutes in. From there the Blazers took over, stretching their lead to 10, 55-45, on a 3-pointer from Whitley with 2:51 left in the frame. The Eagles closed the gap back to single digits before Trista Magee hit a pair of free throws and a shot from long range in the final minute to give UAB a 63-52 lead after the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was all UAB as the Blazers opened the frame on a 10-6 run that took them into the final media timeout of the game ahead 73-56. The Green and Gold closed the final 4:57 out of the media break on a 12-5 run highlighted by Emily Frasco's record setting 3-pointer with 1:05 left en route to the 86-61 victory.

UAB's bench outscored Coppin State 36-0 as the Blazers held their opponents bench scoreless for the first time this season. Whitley, Kerstein and Magee accounted for 29 points of the bench's production.

"Our bench came in and played well for us," Norton said. "We knew that they could do that and we knew that tonight we needed to rest some people so our bench was going to be extremely important. They came in and did a great job and it was a great pick me up for the team."

Jalynda Salley led Coppin State, finishing with a double double tallying 12 points and 11 rebounds. Chance Graham also finished with 22 points.

UAB closes the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic on Friday when it takes on FGCU. Tipoff between the Blazers and Eagles is set for 6 p.m. CST from Alico Arena.

Women's basketball season tickets are on sale by purchasing the 2018-19 Gold Card for $65. The Gold Card includes access to home baseball and softball games in addition to all 10 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).