Blazers Edge Troy to Advance in WNIT

Thursday, March 21

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

UAB

26-6

Troy

22-9

UAB

Troy

Blazers Edge Troy to Advance in WNIT

3/21/2019 9:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

TROY, Ala. – The UAB women's basketball team pulled out a nail biter on Thursday night to advance to the second round of the WNIT as the Blazers edged Troy in a shootout, 93-89, at Trojan Arena. As the majority of the game went back and forth with a total of 26 lead changes, UAB used an 11-0 run in the final three minutes to ice the game.

Katelynn Thomas and Deanna Kuzmanic led the Blazers on the night as the pair combined for 47 of UAB's 93 points. Thomas led the way with 25 points, going 12-for 17 from the field and adding four rebounds. Kuzmanic poured in 22 points on the night, shooting 7-for-11 from the floor and pitching in seven rebounds and three assists. Johnson and Vendrell were also big contributors as Johnson posted 17 points and six rebounds, while Vendrell had a career night, adding a career high in points (15), tying her career high in rebounds (13) and dishing out seven assists.

"Well, first of all, I want to congratulate Troy on a great game," said coach Randy Norton. "They've had an outstanding season. Coming into the game, we knew how good and talented they are. We knew it was going to be physical. I'm really proud of our young ladies. It was a game of runs. Troy had runs, and we had runs. Our girls just wouldn't quit. That was the theme coming into the game. After watching Troy, we just said it was going to be a game where we had to take care of the basketball and the galss. The end result was what we wanted. I think it came down to our kids making plays when it counted. Every time Troy went on a run, we were able to respond."

In a half that included 18 lead changes, both sides came out of the gate firing. The Blazers got on the board first with a Katelynn Thomas layup, but the two traded even blows until Troy knocked in a 3-pointer to take a 7-6 lead with 8:41 left in the first quarter. UAB then went on a brief, five-point run on an Angela Vendrell jumper and a layup and free throw from Imani Johnson, going up 11-7. After a Troy mid-range jumper, Deanna Kuzmanic drained a 3-pointer to give the Blazers a five-point lead. Troy then took back the lead with a six-point run of their own behind a jumper and a pair of layups. The two squads then traded a pair of buckets before another Katelynn Thomas layup gave UAB a three-point edge. Troy answered once again, scoring seven straight points on a layup, pair of free throws and shot from deep to take a four point advantage, but the Blazers would finish the quarter on top after a layup and bucket from beyond the arc from Kuzmanic put UAB up by one, 25-24.

The two squads traded a pair of buckets to open the second quarter before Troy drove home a pair of layups and free throws to take a five-point lead. UAB's defense then shored up as the Blazers held the Trojan offense scoreless for the next three minutes, going on a seven-point run of their own behind layups from Thomas, Vendrell and Johnson to go with a Johnson free throw. With UAB up two and five minutes left in the half, Troy jumped back up to a four-point lead with a pair of jumpers and free throws. Going with the ebb and flow of the game, UAB stormed right back to take the lead once again. A pair of layups from Vendrell and Thomas and a couple of Miyah Barnes free throws gave the Blazers a 40-38 point lead with three minutes left in the half. Troy stepped in front by one with a 3-point bucket, but a Thomas layup put the Blazers ahead by the same count. The Trojans took the lead again behind another layup and a free throw, but UAB knocked down a pair of jumpers from Johnson and Vendrell to lead by two. Troy would end the half with two more jumpers, but a 3-pointer from Lea Kerstein kept the Blazers on top going into the half, 49-48.

To open the second half, both sides traded layups before the Trojans finished an and-one to go up by two. UAB then responded with a pair of Johnson layups to take back the lead. Troy fired back though, scoring six unanswered points to take a four-point advantage. Once again, the Blazers surged back with a five-point run of their own on a Johnson layup along with a free throw and fade-away jumper from Vendrell to lead it, 60-59, with five minutes left in the third. The Trojans stormed back again in response, with a pair of layups and bucket from beyond the arc to go up by six with just under three minutes to go in the quarter. A Kuzmanic three-pointer would bring the Blazers within three, but the Trojans would temporarily keep their distance with a pair of free throws. UAB would keep the pressure on, adding a Johnson layup and Kuzmanic three-point bucket, which left the back-and-forth game tied at 68 at the end of the third.

Troy got off to a hot start in the fourth quarter, knocking down a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to go up by five. The Blazers wouldn't allow the Trojans to separate any further though as Kuzmanic drained one from beyond the arc to cut the Trojan lead to two. Troy added another layup to follow, but UAB answered with a pair of Vendrell layups to tie things up at 75 with 7:56 to go in the game. Troy took back the lead with a quick layup, but a Kuzmanic layup evened the score once again. The Trojans then went on another seven-point run to jump ahead by just as many with 3:35 to go in the game. UAB battled back with a vengeance though, going on an 11-0 run for the next two minutes as Rachael Childress and Barnes each drained one from deep, Thomas earned three more the old-fashioned way and Johnson drilled a pair of free throws, putting the Blazers back on top, 88-84, with 1:15 to go in the game. With the game in the balance, the Trojans broke their dry spell with a layup to draw within two with 31 seconds remaining. UAB would go to the line and knock down one with, giving Troy the ball with 24 seconds remaining. The Trojans would fail to convert a layup, leading to Johnson visiting the charity stripe for the Blazers to add another free throw, extending the UAB lead to four. On the ensuing possession, Troy turned it over, which led one more Blazer free throw, this time from Kuzmanic. The Trojans would knock down a 3-pointer with two seconds left to keep their slim hopes alive, but UAB would wrap up the game with two more Kuzmanic free throws, ending the game on top, 93-89.

UAB's WNIT run will continue, but the opponent, location and time are yet to be determined.

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).