The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
SMU
Blazers Beat Mustangs After 24-Point Comeback
1/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2010
DALLAS (AP) -Cameron Moore scored on a transition layup with 1:11 remaining, culminating a 24-point second-half comeback, and UAB held on to defeat SMU 63-62 on Saturday.
Not only was the 24-point comeback victory the largest in the UAB annals, but it is the 13th-largest in college basketball history according to the NCAA record books, which tracks all comebacks of 21 or more points. It was also the ninth-largest second-half comeback and being down 12 with five minutes left ties for the fifth-best comeback.
Furthermore, it is second largest come-from-behind win by a C-USA team. Charlotte had a 26-point comeback against Tennessee in November of 1995. It also set the record for a C-USA game.
"We didn't show up in the first half, and to give SMU credit, they really played a heck of a game," UAB head coach Mike Davis said. "You have to take your hat off to Matt Doherty because they came ready to play tonight. Their zone really hurt us in the first half. But our guys never quit and never gave up and we were able to come out with a very hard-earned win."
Elijah Millsap had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers (15-2, 3-0 Conference USA), and George Drake added 14 points.
Millsap now has 10 double-doubles on the season, which not only leads the conference, but also ranked fourth on the school's single-season list.
Derek Williams, who led SMU (6-10, 0-3) with 23 points, missed a layup with a second left. Papa Dia had 11 points for the Mustangs.
The contest was a tale of two halves, as SMU led 34-20 at the intermission behind some hot shooting. The Mustangs shot 60.9 percent from the floor through the opening 20 minutes.
The Blazers trailed 50-26 with 14:41 remaining in the contest when the furious rally began. Millsap sparked the rally, scoring 16 of his points in the second half.
UAB trailed by 15, 59-44, at the 5:14 mark, but ended the contest on a 19-3 run.
UAB finished the contest with a 38-25 advantage on the boards, including an 18-3 lead in offensive rebounds. Additionally, the Blazers finished with 11 turnovers, two of which in the second half.
The Blazers will next be in action on Wednesday night when they host C-USA rival Southern Miss. The contest will tip off at 6 p.m. CT and will be televised live on CSS.
