The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
6-5
Southern
4-7
Cokley's Shot at Buzzer Lifts UAB to Victory
12/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2016
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB junior Chris Cokley didn't have much time to collect his thoughts after grabbing a loose basketball during the closing seconds of the first overtime period during Sunday's non-conference game against visiting Southern.
"I just got it and shot it," was the way Cokley described the moment.
Turns out that worked really well. Cokley's shot -- a hurried 4-footer off the backboard -- nestled through the Bartow Arena nets to lift UAB to a 75-74 overtime triumph over the Jaguars.
"I'm very happy about pulling out that victory," said UAB head coach Robert Ehsan. "We wanted to give Birmingham some exciting basketball here in Bartow Arena."
It certainly was far from easy, even though the Blazers (6-5) led for 41 minutes, against a Southern team that played in the NCAA Tournament last spring.
"It was exactly how we drew it up," said Ehsan. "Give them credit, they played really well. They're a veteran team. They came up with big shots. I thought we did a very good job of continuing to fight and Chris made an unbelievable play at the end of the game to win the game."
Cokley did make the play at the end to win it but he spent a large chunk of the minutes down the stretch sitting on the bench. Ehsan stayed with a rotation that included William Lee (15 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots, five steals) and Tosin Mehinti (nine points, three rebounds, two blocked shots) underneath because both were playing well. Cokley (14 points, eight rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists) sat out all but the final 45 seconds of the overtime period.
"For Chris to sit there on the bench for probably about 20 real minutes -- not necessarily game time -- but then to come in and be locked in enough to get that rebound was unbelievable," Ehsan said.
It was also a team effort on the game-winning bucket. It began with Hakeem Baxter racing up the court after a follow shot by Southern's Emanuel Sheperd gave the Jaguars a 74-73 lead with 8.2 seconds left. Ehsan considered using his final timeout but chose not to because of Baxter swiftly getting the ball up the court.
Once he crossed halfcourt, Baxter quickly got the ball to an open Deion Lavender. Cokley said he thought Lavender's 15-footer was going in the basket but it rimmed out. Lee kept the ball alive with a tip attempt and another Blazer knocked the ball in Cokley's hands.
"I didn't know how many seconds were on the clock so I just shot it off the backboard and it went it," said Cokley, who added he had never hit a game-winner at the buzzer prior to Sunday.
Cokley's play was just one of many clutch plays that the Blazers needed on Sunday. Southern hung close for the first half -- trailing 33-31 at halftime -- and surged ahead 51-48 with 9:42 remaining. UAB countered with seven consecutive points on buckets by Lee and Javien Williams and a 3-pointer by Dirk Williams.
But the Jaguars (4-7) refused to go away. UAB led 62-57 with just over four minutes left, following the second of back-to-back 3-pointers by Lee, but the Jaguars still hung in the game. Lee's 15-foot jumper gave UAB a 67-65 lead with 39.1 seconds left but Southern tied the game five seconds later. Neither team scored again in regulation.
UAB opened the overtime scoring with a Dirk Williams 3-pointer but Southern followed with its own triple by Tre'lun Banks. Lavender drove left side for a layup to give UAB the lead again with 3:15 left and Lee hit the second of two free throws on the following Blazers possession to pad the lead to 73-70.
Southern managed the next two baskets, including the go-ahead follow shot, to set up the final sequence.
"The locker room was pretty excited," Ehsan said. "We haven't played in a nip-and-tuck game that we've come out victorious (this season). I think it's something that is like an acquired feel. Our teams in the past have had it. It's a certain confidence. There is nothing I can do in practice to create that feel. You have to go out and do it. I'm hopeful that will carry us the next time we're in a close game."
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