The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Ball State
Blazers' Balanced Attack Tops Ball State, 61-56
12/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2010
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico -- The UAB women's basketball team won its fifth-straight contest thanks to a 61-56 victory over Ball State on Monday afternoon at the Caribbean Classic in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Sophomore guard Jala Harris led the Blazers with 13 points and seven assists, junior center Meagan Brown matched her career-high of 10 points and junior guard LaShaunda Pratt and sophomore guard Amber Jones each chipped in nine.
"We knew that it was going to be important for everyone to get in the game and make a contribution," UAB head coach Audra Smith said. "The one thing I told them was to focus on our defense and our offense would come. We had significant contributions from everyone that played and that's exactly what we needed."
In addition to her nine points, Jones also matched her career-best with four steals. Brown collected a team-high seven boards in the game, had a pair of steals and one blocked shot.
"Meagan is one tough cookie," Smith said. "She did a great job of catching it and laying it off the glass throughout the game. She really came to play today and was a huge factor for us."
Freshman forwards Destiny Samuels and Karisma Chapman also made a strong showing for the Blazers, each chipping in four points. Samuels grabbed six rebounds, while Chapman added four boards.
For Ball State (4-6), Emily Maggert led the way with18 points and 13 rebounds.
Although UAB (7-3) led the entire game, the Cardinals kept it close much of the way. The Blazers managed to stretch the lead to as many as 13 late in the second half, but Ball State closed the gap to pull within four with 38 seconds remaining. Free throws proved to be crucial for UAB late in the contest and the Blazers were clutch down the stretch, hitting 8-of-11 in the final 1:07.
Both teams got off to a slow start before the Blazers turned up the heat midway through the first half. After the Cardinals tied the game at six, UAB went on an 11-0 run to make it 17-6 with 9:06 remaining in the first half. Ball State inched back, responding with an 11-2 run to pull within two points at the 5:36 mark before the Blazers took a 27-23 into halftime.
UAB returns to the hardwood Tuesday in the finale of the Caribbean Classic. The Blazers take on Illinois State at 3:30 p.m. CT.
