The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Murray State
Blazers Fall At Home To Murray State, 62-55
11/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- Murray State used a 22-2 second half run to rally past UAB, 62-55, Sunday afternoon in men's basketball action at Bartow Arena.
Leading 49-37, the Blazers (0-2) went without a field goal for more than 10 minutes as the Racers took advantage of the UAB drought and opportunities at the foul line, hitting 18-of-22 from the stripe in the second half and 20-of-24 for the game.
Donte Poole's jumper with 5:09 remaining gave Murray (4-0) its first lead -- 52-51 -- since the first half. Poole, who had all 11 of his points after intermission, added a three-pointer to increase the Racer lead to 55-51 as the Blazers could never get closer.
"We fouled too much and put them on the free throw line," said UAB head coach Mike Davis. "We missed our free throws and they made their free throws. We just never could get into a rhythm. We kept turning the basketball over and never got into our offense down the stretch."
The first half was tight throughout with six ties and three lead changes. UAB took a 31-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After Murray State tied the game at 31-31 just over two minutes into the second half, the Blazers went on an 18-6 run as senior Cameron Moore scored seven of his 15 points during the seven-minute stretch. Moore added 11 rebounds and seven blocks.
Ovie Soko was UAB's only other double figure scorer as he tallied 10 points and nine rebounds.
Junior guard Isaiah Canaan led the Racers with 19 points while Ivan Aska finished with 18. Murray State connected on only 32.7 percent of its field goals for the game and just 26.9 percent in the second half.
The Blazers hit 40 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the free throw line, including just 7-of-12 after halftime. UAB managed just 2-of-14 from three-point range.
UAB will be back home Tuesday when the Blazers play host to in-state foe Troy for a 7:00 p.m. CT tipoff in Bartow Arena.
