Barnes, Childress Come Up Big In UAB Victory Over Auburn

Thursday, November 21

Birmingham, Ala.

6:00 p.m.

UAB

2-2

Auburn

1-2

Auburn

UAB

Barnes, Childress Come Up Big In UAB Victory Over Auburn

11/21/2019 11:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Gold Card Women's Basketball Single Game Tickets

BIRMINGHAM - Miyah Barnes 3-pointer with 1:59 left in the game and Rachael Childress' late free throws gave UAB its first win over Auburn since 1992 Thursday night at Bartow Arena.

Childress finished the game with 23 points to lead UAB in scoring adding four more threes to her record to bring her all-time total to 328. Barnes added 22 points of her own shooting 75 percent from the field and a perfect 4-4 from three-point range.

Unique Thompson led all scorers with 24 points and 19 rebounds on the night for the Tigers.

UAB (2-2) trailed by three after 10 minutes after a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with an 8-2 run by the Tigers. Redshirt senior Trista Magee tallied 10 points to lead all scorers in the first quarter of play. The Blazers outscored the Tigers 19-15 in the second quarter to take a 41-40 lead into halftime. Barnes led UAB with 12 points and three steals.

Auburn (1-2) answered in the third quarter going on a 10-2 run off six points from Thompson. The third quarter ended with both teams even at 58-58 after the Blazers scored the final four points.

The deadlock set up a fourth quarter full of drama with two ties and seven lead changes in the final 10 minutes of play. Neither team could keep hold of the lead through the first three minutes of the quarter until back-to-back jumpers by Thompson gave Auburn a three-point lead at 67-64.

With 5:42 left in the fourth quarter Barnes hit a three from well behind the mark to tie the game back up 67-67. Dasia Alexander would answer with a layup on the other end to put Auburn ahead by two, the last lead Tigers would hold in the game.

Barnes came through with the heroics again with 1:59 remaining in the game and the shot clock down to one when she pulled up from long range and knocked down the deep three to give the Blazers the 72-69 lead. Angela Vendrell would increase the lead to five with a bucket in the paint energizing the home crowd for the final minute of the game.

"We have been through a lot of tough tight games together," said head coach Randy Norton. "I feel like everything we have been going through prepared us for this moment. I think the best is yet to come still, but tonight is a big turning point for this program and this group of ladies. I don't know how many games in a row Auburn had won over UAB but for us to be able to come in and play a good Auburn team down to the wire taking them possession by possession especially down the stretch in the fourth quarter showed a lot of poise."

Childress would ice the game for the Blazers sinking four free throws in the last 20 seconds of play to give UAB the 80-75 victory.

Three pointers made the difference for UAB, as the Green and Gold shot 43.5 percent from behind the arc with 10 triples to Auburn's three. The Blazers scored 23 points off 20 Auburn turnovers.

UAB is back in action Sunday at 2 p.m. against McNeese State at Bartow Arena.

Secure your women's basketball season tickets by purchasing the 2019-20 Gold Card for $65 here. The Gold Card is an exclusive offer that grants you admission into all women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball events for the upcoming academic year. Contact the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 for more details.

For more information on the UAB women's basketball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB) and Instagram (UAB_WBBall).