The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Cincinnati
Blazers Fall to Old C-USA Foe Cincinnati, 87-80
12/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2008
UAB-Cincinnati box score (PDF)
CINCINNATI (AP) - Deonta Vaughn came off the bench for the first time since his freshman season and scored 16 points Saturday, leading Cincinnati to an 87-80 victory over UAB.
The junior guard, who is the Bearcats' only double-digit scorer at 13.3 points per game, was out of the starting lineup against UAB (5-3) for the first time in 66 games. Coach Mick Cronin said it was a result of how Vaughn practiced leading up to the game.
UAB senior guard Robert Vaden collected a game-high 23 points, while senior forward Lawrence Kinnard had 22 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Combined, the duo scored 45 of the Blazers' 80 points in the contest.
"We just came out flat and didn't show any excitement," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "We need to find that spark that we were playing with earlier this season. I thought Mick Cronin and his staff had a great game plan and executed it well."
The Blazers have now played seven of their first eight games away from Bartow Arena and have travelled over 7,000 miles this season.
Vaughn hit a 17-foot jumper and a three-pointer during an 11-point first half run that negated a two-point UAB lead and put Cincinnati ahead to stay, 22-13.
UAB showed some fight and cut a 14-point deficit to 51-46 midway through the second half, but UC's Mike Williams had a basket and a pair of free throws during a 13-2 spurt that ended the comeback.
It was a noteworthy game for Vaden - a chance to play against Vaughn - his cousin. The two grew up on the east side of Indianapolis and remain close friends.
Vaughn got into the game at 13:28 of the first half, with the Bearcats (6-1) down a point.
The Blazers took a season-high 75 shots, compared to 52 by UC, but only converted 30 (40.0 percent). UAB also struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on 6-of-25 treys (24.0 percent).
UAB will now have an 11-day break before its next game when the Blazers will take on in-state foe Jacksonville State on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m.
