The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Marshall
Blazers Fall On The Road, 61-54
2/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Travis Aikens scored 16 points to lead Marshall to a 61-54 win over UAB on Saturday night.
UAB trailed by 14 early in the second half before going on a 12-0 run to close within 38-36 with 14:08 left in the game. But the Blazers never retook the lead.
"Defensively, to hold Marshall to 61 points on its home floor is exactly what we want to do and should be good enough to win ball games," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "But our problem is we are not a good shooting team. We have too many mental lapses during the game and it always comes back to hurt us in the end. That's exactly what happened tonight."Mark Dorris' 3-pointer put Marshall ahead 55-46 with four minutes left. Paul Delaney III made two free throws and a layup to cut UAB's deficit to 57-53 with 51 seconds left but Marshall sank 4-of-6 free throws in the final minute.
UAB scored the game's first eight points. Marshall bounced back for a 16-13 lead with nine minutes left in the half. Chris Ross' 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer put Marshall ahead 30-24.
Dorris finished with 12 points and Markel Humphrey had 11 for Marshall (9-13, 4-4 Conference USA). Jean Francois Bro-Grebe had six blocked shots.
Wen Mukubu and Mike Davis Jr. had 11 points apiece for UAB (11-11, 3-5).
The Blazers will look to rebound with their longest home streak of the season approaching. UAB begins the home stand by battling nationally-ranked Memphis on ESPN. Tip is set for 8 p.m. CT at Bartow Arena, with Rece Davis and Jay Bilas on the call.
