UAB Opens C-USA Action with Decisive 67-50 Victory over FAU

Thursday, January 3

Bartow Arena

7 p.m.

UAB

9-5, 1-0

Florida Atlantic

9-5, 0-1

Florida Atlantic

UAB

UAB Opens C-USA Action with Decisive 67-50 Victory over FAU

1/3/2019 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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BIRMINGHAM - The UAB men's basketball team opened its Conference USA slate in dominating fashion as the Blazers defeated Florida Atlantic 67-50 on Thursday night at Bartow Arena.

The Blazers (9-5, 1-0 C-USA) have now won seven in a row against the Owls (9-5, 0-1 C-USA) and improved to 7-1 at home this season. UAB's balanced attack saw four players score in double figures, led by senior guard Jeremiah Bell with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

UAB shot 47.5 percent overall and scored 24 of its 32 first half points in the paint en route to outscoring the owls 34-18 down low. The Blazers out-rebound FAU by four (39-35) and are now 9-3 overall when winning the rebounding battle.

Makhtar Gueye scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half, while Zack Bryant (11) and Lewis Sullivan (10) combined to score 15 of their 21 points in the second half.

"I thought we did a really good job defensively holding them to just 26 points in the first half," head coach Robert Ehsan said. "A few of those points were off broken plays. I told the team that that was our best defensive half of the season. It took us a little bit to find our rhythm on offense but Makhtar [Gueye] got off to a great start and then in the second half our offense clicked. We moved the basketball, made good decisions and made timely shots."

FAU scored the first two points of the game, but Gueye then scored six of the next eight points to give UAB a lead it would keep for the remainder of the game.

UAB's largest first half lead would reach nine on two different occasions, including a Jalen Perry 3-pointer with 1:48 left to make the score 32-23. FAU's Anthony Adger responded with a three of his own, cutting the lead to 32-26 at the half. Adger was the only Owl in double-figures as he scored a game-high 18 points.

With the score 38-31 in favor of the Blazers, UAB used an early 7-0 second half run to gain a 14-point lead, which consisted of a triple by Bell, followed by a thunderous dunk and a jumper by Bryant.

FAU was not able to get within double digits for the remainder of the game and UAB's largest lead ballooned to 19 with 1:34 left in the contest.

Along with his 14 points, Bell added five rebounds and four assists to his statline, while Bryant led the team on the glass with seven. UAB assisted on 15 of its 28 made field goals.

The Blazers return to action on Saturday as they round out a five-game homestand with FIU at 7 p.m. The Panthers enter Saturday's contest at 10-4 overall and 1-0 in league play. Click here to buy tickets.