The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Santa Clara
UAB Rallies to Edge Santa Clara, 64-61
11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2008
TUCSON, Ariz. - Robert Vaden scored 23 points and Paul Delaney III added 20, and UAB rallied for a 64-61 victory over Santa Clara on Monday night in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
"I thought we played a well-coached and well disciplined team tonight," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "We did a great job in the second half and locked in our defense. We also played with the sense of urgency we needed to pull out the win."
The Blazers (2-0) trailed by seven points at halftime and for most of the second half. However, with UAB down 53-47 at the 7:57 mark of the second half, UAB went on a decisive 14-5 run over the next 7:31 to take a commanding 61-56 lead.. The Blazers went on to hit nine of their final 11 free throws over the last five minutes to clinch their second win of the season.
Vaden has 15 points at the half and finished with a game-high 23 points and a team-leading nine rebounds on the night. Delaney had his second consecutive 20-point game, with 20 points to go along with five rebounds in the victory.
UAB trailed at half, thanks in large part to Santa Clara big man John Bryant, who finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds on the night. Bryant had 12 points and nine boards at the half on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor. Perry Petty also finished with 17 points on the evening.
The Broncos (1-1) extended their lead to the largest of the game at nine, 44-35, at the 14:50 mark. However, the Blazers answered with a 10-2 run over the next 4:13 to cut the deficit to 46-45.
Santa Clara would respond with a 6-0 run to jump back up 51-45 with 8:47 remaining in the contest. But Bryant picked up his fourth foul of the game just a few minutes later, opening the door for the Blazers.
UAB will meet the winner of Florida Atlantic and Arizona to play for the West Region championship and the right to go to New York for the semifinals of the NIT Season Tipoff.
The contest will be aired live on ESPN2 at 10:30 p.m. CT (9:30 p.m. MT). It will also be broadcast live on WUHT 107.7 FM.
