UAB Completes Texas Swing Sweep With Win at UTSA

Saturday, January 19

San Antonio, Texas

1 p.m.

UAB

17-2, 5-1

UTSA

6-11, 1-4

UAB

UTSA

UAB Completes Texas Swing Sweep With Win at UTSA

1/19/2019 3:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

SAN ANTONIO – The (RV) UAB women's basketball team wrapped up its two game Texas road swing with a 59-45 victory at UTSA on Saturday afternoon.

UAB improved to 17-2 on the season and 5-1 in Conference USA, winning its 14th consecutive conference road game, a streak that dates back to the 2016-17 season.

"We are really pleased with this win," head coach Randy Norton said. "It was a day that we shot 35 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point line and also had more turnovers than assists. To be able to go out and win the game solely based on defense and rebounding makes me really, really pleased."

Rachael Childress continued her impressive junior campaign, pacing all scorers with a game high 21 points. Childress has finished in double figures in nine straight games, including all C-USA games this season. The Moulton, Ala., native turned in her 11th career 20 plus point performance and fifth of the season.

Katelynn Thomas led UAB on the glass, reeling in seven rebounds. Thomas has led UAB in rebounding in six games this season and in two of the previous three contests.

As a team UAB shot just 34.9 percent (22-of-63) from the field and 20.8 percent (5-of-24) from long range, but still led the Roadrunners in points off turnovers (22-to-6) and bench point (16-to-3).

One of the nation's top 3-point field goal defending teams, the Blazers held the Roadrunners to just one made triple the entire game, marking the eighth team this season that UAB has held to three or less 3-pointers.

Both teams opened the first quarter trading buckets as the game saw three ties in the first five minutes. But a Trista Magee 3-pointer with 2:51 to play in the quarter gave UAB an 11-3 lead, one it would not relinquish, as the Blazers went on an 8-1 run to lead to 16-9 after the opening 10 minutes.

UAB continued its run into the first three minutes of the second quarter as Childress finished a layin with 6:47 to play in the half to give the Blazers' a 15-point lead. An and-1 from UTSA sparked a brief 5-1 run, but a jumper from Angela Vendrell and a pair of free throws from Childress stopped it and gave the Blazers a 31-16 lead to take into the locker room at halftime.

UTSA opened the second half on a 14-7 run to cut UAB's lead to single digits at 38-31. Following the media timeout Sara Rosenfeldt hit a layup with 3:28 left in the third quarter to spark an 11-2 run to carry out the quarter and give UAB a 49-33 lead.

Childress put the game away with 7:03 to play she hit three consecutive free throws to push UAB's lead to 52-35 before Deanna Kuzmanic hit a jumper to push the lead to 19, the Blazers largest of the game. That lead would sustain the Blazers until the Roadrunners hit a field goal in the closing seconds as UAB wrapped up the 59-42 victory.

Marie Benson led UTSA with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Tija Hawkins also finished with 16 points.

UAB returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 24 when it welcomes North Texas to Bartow Arena for Education Day. Tipoff between the Blazers and Mean Green is set for 11 a.m.

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 six 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).