Kuzmanic and Thomas Record Double Doubles in Win Over McNeese State

Saturday, December 8

Birmingham, Ala.

2 p.m.

UAB

8-1

McNeese State

0-7

McNeese State

UAB

Kuzmanic and Thomas Record Double Doubles in Win Over McNeese State

12/8/2018 5:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

BIRMINGHAM – On the back of double doubles from Deanna Kuzmanic and Katelynn Thomas, the (RV) UAB women's basketball team improved to 8-1 on the season with a 91-48 win over McNeese State on Saturday afternoon at Bartow Arena.

Kuzmanic finished the game with 10 points and a career high 11 assists, while Thomas tallied 14 points and a season high 11 rebounds. Kuzmanic has finished in double figure scoring in every game this season, while Thomas has found the double figure scoring column in the previous eight games. The duo are the first Blazers to record a double double in the same game since Kara Rawls (12 points, 12 rebounds) and Imani Johnson (10 points, 11 rebounds) did it against Florida Atlantic on Jan. 27, 2018.

"Two double doubles in one game is pretty impressive," head coach Randy Norton said. "With Deanna I look at her 11 assists and one turnover and have to think that is impressive. I was on her a little bit because I felt like she passed up a bunch of shots, but that is what she felt like today. When you score 91 points and she has 11 assists I am going to take that. Katie in the first half had some uncharacteristic misses, but her second half was much better than her first."

Three additional Blazers finished the game netting double figures as Rachael Childress finished with a game high 21 points. The junior tallied a season high seven 3-pointers made on a career high 18 attempts. She also reeled in six boards, dished out three assists and recorded a pair of steals.

Imani Johnson was just behind Childress with 16 points on a career high six made field goals. Tonight marked the junior's 15th career game to score in double figures and was her third of the season.

Rounding out the Blazers to score in double figures was Lea Kerstein's career high 12 points. Kerstein connected on a career best four 3-pointers as the sophomore finished in double figures for the first time in her career.

Tonight was the second time this season that UAB had five players find the double figure scoring column as the first time came in the Blazers' 89-84 win over Oklahoma.

Additionally, Miyah Barnes dished out four assists to tally 315 for her career, moving her into 10th place in UAB history for career assists. The junior needs seven more assists to move into ninth place.

The squads traded buckets in the beginning of the game, before McNeese State took a four point lead on consecutive jumpers at the three minute mark. A pair of free throws from Kuzmanic cut the lead to two, but the Cowgirls responded with another pair of jumpers to extend their lead to six before the media timeout. The Blazers came out of the break firing as Childress and Trista Magee combined for three made 3-point field goals on ensuing possessions to cut the lead to one. A free throw from Imani Johnson at the 3:03 mark tied the contest at 16, before Kuzmanic drilled a shot from long range with 1:41 remaining in the quarter to give UAB a 19-16 lead.

McNeese State opened the second quarter on a 5-0 run to retake a two-point lead with 7:42 left in the half, but that would be its last lead of the game as Johnson layed in a shot to tie the game at 21 followed by another 3-pointer from Childress, giving UAB a three point lead that would sustain them for the contest. The Blazers closed the first half on 19-7 run to take a 39-27 lead into the locker room at halftime.

UAB opened the second half on an 8-2 run, forcing McNeese State to use a timeout three minutes into the third quarter. Childress connected on her third shot from long range coming out of the timeout before Magee once again followed her on the ensuing possession with another triple to stretch the Blazers' lead to 24. Childress rattled off three consecutive 3-pointers on three straight possessions as the Blazers closed the third quarter on a 15-8 run to lead 70-37 as they outscored the Cowgirls 31-10 in the frame.

The teams once again traded shots in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, before both went scoreless for three minutes taking the game into the final media timeout with 4:54 left to play. Kerstein broke the dry spell with a 3-pointer at the 4:16 mark before following it up with another shot from deep two minutes later. Kerstein hit her third triple of the quarter with 51 seconds remaining in the game to give UAB a 45 point lead, its largest of the game, en route to the 91-48 victory.

"I am really pleased with the way we ended the game," head coach Randy Norton said. "We got off to a slow start defensively, giving up 16 points in the first six minutes. But I look at the quarter totals and I give credit to our players. It is not always how you start, but if you can make adjustments or not."

Entering the game with the third best 3-point field goal defensive team in the nation, UAB held McNeese State to just 1-for-13 from beyond the arc. The Blazers have held six of their nine opponents to three 3-pointers or less this season as teams are shooting a mere 19.1 percent (29-of-152) against the Green and Gold.

Callie Maddox led the Cowgirls with 12 points on a 6-of-10 night from the field.

UAB takes a week off for final exams before returning to the court at Alabama State on Sunday, December 16. Tipoff between the Blazers and Hornets is set for 3 p.m. in Montgomery.

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 nine of women's basektball'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).