UAB Claims Hilton Garden Inn Classic Title

Friday, December 21

Fort Myers, Fla.

6 p.m.

UAB

11-1

FGCU

9-3

UAB

FGCU

FGCU Athletics

UAB Claims Hilton Garden Inn Classic Title

12/21/2018 9:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The (RV) UAB women's basketball team secured the Hilton Garden Inn Classic Title with a 62-60 Championship Game victory over FGCU on Friday night at Alico Arena.

Deanna Kuzmanic earned Tournament MVP Honors as she finished with a game high 31 points in the title game. The senior captain netted a career high 13 field goals on a career high 21 attempts, while also leading the team with a career high eight rebounds. For the tournament, Kuzmanic averaged 24 points and rebounds 8.0 rebounds over the two-day event.

"That was a great win over a really good basketball team," head coach Randy Norton said. "Florida Gulf Coast has an outstanding program, are extremely well coached and for our girls to come in and to be able to beat them on their home court is a big deal. I am really proud of our team and the poise they played with down the stretch."

Miyah Barnes found the double figure scoring column for the sixth time this season as she finished with 13 points on five made field goals and three free throws.

Rachael Childress rounded out the Blazers in double digits with 12 points en route to earning All-Tournament honors. The junior surpassed the 1,000 point mark with a field goal in the first quarter to become the 29th member of UAB's 1,000 Point Scoring Club.

One of the top 3-point field goal defending teams in the nation, UAB held FGCU to just a 21.4 percent (6-of-28) mark from long range. The Eagles entered contest ranking first in the NCAA, averaging 13.1 made 3-point field goals per game.

"It was not the type of game that you are used to seeing either team play with both teams being high scoring, but both squads were locked in with their defense and it was a really good win for our program," Norton said.

Both teams opened the game going shot-for-shot in the early minutes as Kuzmanic gave UAB its first lead of the contest, 9-7, with 5:31 left in the quarter before the Eagles tied it back up on the following possession. Another Kuzmanic jumper gave the Blazers back the lead, going into the first media timeout. The Eagles closed the opening quarter on a 6-2 run to lead 15-13 after the first 10 minutes.

FGCU opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run, before Childress hit her 1,000th point at the 7:50 mark to begin an 8-3 UAB run capped off by a pair of jumpers from Kuzmanic to cut the FGCU lead to 23-19. A pair of free throws from Childress tied the game at 23 with 1:44 left to play in the half as the teams closed the quarter scoring on both of their remaining possessions to take the game to half time tied at 27.

UAB came out halftime firing offensively, opening the third quarter on a 10-0 run capped off by a Kuzmanic layup with 5:54 left in the frame. FGCU answered with a layup that sparked an 8-0 run. A pair of Kuzmanic free throws ended the run as the Blazers regained an eight point lead, 45-37, with 58 seconds remaining. The Eagles netted a long 3-pointer with three seconds left in the quarter, but it was UAB ahead 45-40 going into the final 10 minutes.

Consecutive 3-pointers on the first two possessions for the Eagles cut the Blazers lead to one less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Four unanswered points from Miyah Barnes extended UAB's lead back to six, the largest it would hold for the remainder of the contest. The Eagles inched back to within one, before a layup with 36 left from Nasrin Ulel tied the game at 60. Senior captain Kuzmanic once again took over and hit the game winning layup with nine seconds left. The Eagles called a pair of timeouts in the final eight seconds before their last chance layin effort failed giving UAB the win and the tournament title.

Ulel led a pair of Eagles in double figures with 24 points on four made 3-pointers.

UAB takes a week off for the Holiday break before returning to Bartow Arena on Sunday, Dec. 30 to close out the non-conference slate with UAH. Tipoff between the Blazers and Chargers is set for 2 p.m.

Women's basketball season tickets are on sale by purchasing the 2018-19 Golf 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).