UAB Moves on to C-USA Semifinals After 85-76 Win Over UTSA

Thursday, March 14

Frisco, Texas

6:30 p.m.

UAB

20-13

UTSA

17-15

UAB

UTSA

UAB Moves on to C-USA Semifinals After 85-76 Win Over UTSA

3/14/2019 10:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats Updated Bracket

FRISCO, Texas - Zack Bryant scored 18 of his team-high 24 points in the second half in UAB's 85-76 victory over UTSA in the Quarterfinal Round of the Conference USA Championship on Thursday night at the Ford Center. The sophomore guard hit 6-of-10 shots and five free throws in the game's final half.

The Blazers (20-13), who put up 50 points in the second half, also got double-figure scoring from Jalen Perry, Lewis Sullivan and Makhtar Gueye – adding 18, 16 and 12 points respectively.

Jhivvan Jackson led all scorers with 35 points for UTSA (17-15).

A 3-pointer from Adokiye Iyaye gave UTSA a double-digit lead at 17-6 at 13:26 of the first half. UAB would respond with a 9-0 run with a pair of Bryant layups sandwiched between Perry and Sullivan baskets that made the score 22-20 at 8:18.

With UTSA ahead by three points at 6:30, the Roadrunners went on a 10-2 run to take a 40-29 lead at the under-4 media timeout. UAB was able to cut the deficit to seven points at halftime, 42-35.

Bryant's and-1 coming out of the break sparked an 11-5 run that got UAB within a point at the 16:55 mark of the second half.

With UTSA ahead by four points, back-to-back 3-pointers by Gueye and Perry gave the Blazers their first lead of the game, 53-51 at 14:26. The Blazers would stretch the lead to seven points forcing a UTSA timeout at 8:24.

Jackson converted all three free throws when he was fouled behind the arc with 4:19 remaining to make it a five point contest at 72-67, but that is as close as UTSA would come. Perry's free throws at 1:26 gave UAB its largest lead at 11 points, 82-71.

The Blazers will now face Old Dominion Friday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. in the semifinal round. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. The teams split the pair of games with both being played at Bartow.

GAME NOTES

Today's victory marks the fourth time in five years UAB has won at least 20 games
This was Bryant's fifth game this season scoring 24 or more points
Bryant also tied his season-high with seven rebounds
Sullivan tied a career-high 10 free throws
The 85 points was UAB's second highest output this season (89 at Rice on 1/26/19)
The Blazers shot 50 percent (15 of 30) in the second half