Blazers Cruise Past UL-Lafayette, 97-62

Monday, January 19

Bartow Arena

7:00 PM

UAB

Louisiana-Lafayette

Blazers Cruise Past UL-Lafayette, 97-62

1/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Jan. 19, 2009

Final Stats |

UAB-Louisiana-Lafayette box score (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- Robert Vaden scored 21 points and Channing Toney added 18 as UAB placed six players in double figures to beat Louisiana-Lafayette 97-62 on Monday night.

UAB (11-7) led 51-20 at halftime and built the margin to as many as 41 points in the second half.

"I think it was the third game in a row that we gave great effort defensively," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "I thought we did a great job of blocking out, closing out, and our rotation was good. I told them before the game, once we start scoring some baskets, we're going to be a pretty good basketball team. We did that in the first half. We scored 51 points in the first half."

The Blazers has six players reach double figures, marking the first time since March 2, 2006 that at least five players hit double digits in a game. Additionally, UAB shot a season-high 64.1 percent (41-of-64) from the floor and outrebounded the Ragin' Cajuns, 45-24, on the night.

Junior forward Howard Crawford, getting his first start of the season, collected 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor. He also collected a career-high eight rebounds for UAB in the non-conference game.

For the first time since Feb. 8, 2007, two UAB players recorded a double-double in the same game. Senior forward Lawrence Kinnard earned his Conference USA-leading eighth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman forward Cameron Moore had career-highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Senior guard Paul Delaney III had 12 points and five of UAB's 18 assists in the contest.

"I think everybody played well offensively," Davis said. "I thought Channing Toney had a great game. Howard Crawford did a good job of scoring some points, but it was a team effort. Cameron Moore came in and did a good job for us. We have guys who can score baskets."

Chris Gradnigo scored 14 points, all in the second half, to lead the Ragin' Cajuns while Tyren Johnson added 12 points and Corey Bloom had 10.

Louisiana-Lafayette (6-11) played without leading scorer Travis Bureau (15.4 ppg), who has a lingering groin injury.

UAB jumped out from the start in the opening half, finishing with 51 points in the period. As good as the Blazers' offense was, the defense was just as impressive over the opening 20 minutes. UAB held UL-Lafayette to just 25.0 percent shooting from the floor and 21.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The game was the final non-conference contest for UAB. The Blazers will return to Conference USA action when they host the UTEP Miners on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The match-up will air live on the Blazers' ISP Radio Network, 107.7 FM WUHT.