The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
TCU
Men's Hoops Tops TCU In OT, 84-82
1/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 29, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jeffrey Collins hit a 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 26 seconds of overtime to lead UAB past TCU, 84-82, here Wednesday night. The win lifts the Conference USA National Division-leading Blazers to 4-2 in the conference and 12-5 overall, while TCU drops to 7-11 on the campaign and 1-5 in C-USA.
The game was tied at 79 in the final minute of overtime when UAB forced a tie-up in the backcourt and received the ball on the alternate possession. UAB worked the ball to Collins for a 3-pointer from the right wing with 25.8 seconds left.
TCU's Corey Santee missed a 3-pointer, and Collins was fouled on the rebound with 6.1 seconds left. He made both free throws to give UAB an 84-79 lead. Santee hit a late 3-pointer for the final margin.
"That was an unbelievable game," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "I feel that our players showed up when we needed them the most. Not many teams are going to survive a game where their opponent shoots 12-of-18 from the three-point line. You can look at the three-point shooting percentage, but Morris Finley and Jeffrey Collins hit key three's."
UAB hit only 2 of 23 3-point attempts, while TCU was 12-for-18 on 3-pointers. But UAB forced 25 TCU turnovers, 18 of them in the second half.
Gabe Kennedy scored 23 points and Demario Eddins had 22, both career highs, to lead UAB. Morris Finley added 12 points and Collins had 11 for the Blazers.
Junior Blount led TCU with 22 points and Santee added 20. Bingo Merriex and Jamal Brown added 15 points apiece for the Horned Frogs.
TCU led 38-33 at halftime and built the margin to nine points early in the second half. But UAB used an 11-1 run to get back into the game, with Finley scoring five points in that stretch.
UAB had a 73-71 lead going into the final minute, but a dunk by Merriex tied it and sent the game into overtime.
The Blazers will next return to action when they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. to take on Southern Miss. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. and can be heard on AM-1070 WAPI. The game will also be televised on CSS.
