The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
%20(1).png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Young Harris
Balanced Blazer Attack Knocks Off Young Harris, 94-81
11/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Final Stats (PDF)
By Steve Irvine, UABSports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Jerod Haase glanced at the box score before answering a question about his team's scoring balance in UAB's 94-81 non-conference victory over Young Harris College on Monday night at Bartow Arena. The UAB head coach knew that his team had five double-figure scorers, he just didn't know which ones reached that mark.
"I think very easily there could be another game - maybe next game - there could be five guys in double figures and it could be five completely new guys," Haase said. "I think we'll have some consistency through the year but it's going to be a team where it's going to be hard to say 'We're going to shut that guy down and we'll be OK.' I think we have some different weapons, we just have to make sure we utilize them."
Mission accomplished on Monday night. Tosin Mehinti led the way with 19 points, C.J. Washington had 18 points, Tyler Madison had 15 points, Chris Cokley had 12 points and Nick Norton added 11 points. Twelve UAB players got in the game and 11 of them scored at least a point.
UAB scored 66 points in the paint, turned the ball over just seven times and received 35 points from bench players.
"We have a real talented team this year and the points can be spread out on any given night," said Madison, who was 6-of-8 from the field and added six rebounds and four assists.
Sixteen of the points came on the fast break and UAB pushed the ball quickly in transition. When it did slow down, the Blazers once again looked to get the ball into the 6-foot-9 Mehinti in the post. Mehinti, who led the Blazers in scoring for the second successive game, was 8-of-10 from the field and hit all three of his free throws.
"We always try to get it to him," said Norton, who had eight assists and just one turnover. "From last year, he's got a lot bigger, stronger and is finishing at the rim. Our main focus is get down the floor, if he's open get it to him. When we do get him the ball, we know he's going to make the right play and finish."
UAB outrebounded Young Harris, 51-41, with Cokley leading the way with nine rebounds. Washington and Robert Brown each had seven rebounds.
One thing that the Blazers didn't do well at times on Monday was shut down the Young Harris offense. Senior guard Herdie Lawrence had 22 points and was 6-of-7 on 3-pointers before the game was 15 minutes old.
"With these new players, they've never had the level of scouting in the past," Haase said. "The information we give them, we're going to hold them accountable for that. Lawrence, No. 10, had six 3s in the first half, it's unacceptable for him to get that many good looks because the scouting report labeled him as a big time shooter."
Haase relayed this information - in a loud way - to his team during a first half timeout. The Blazers stepped up the defensive effort on Lawrence, holding him without another basket the rest of the way.
"I think the guys did a better job of knowing where he was and getting into him and took some pride individually trying to shut him down too," Haase said.
UAB returns to Bartow Arena on Thursday to play USF at 7 p.m.
