The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
15-12 (8-6)
WKU
12-14 (6-7)
Blazers Fall at WKU to Close Road Schedule
2/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score (PDF)
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Justin Johnson scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead WKU to a 76-64 victory over UAB Sunday afternoon at Diddle Arena.
Johnson was 12-for-17 from the field to help WKU to hold a 40-18 edge in points in the paint while outrebounding the Blazers 33-23.
Que Johnson added 22 points and made six three-pointers as the Hilltoppers shot 50.8 percent from the field.
William Lee finished with 18 points and three blocks and Dirk Williams had 12 points for UAB.
UAB (15-13, 8-7) scored the first seven points of the second half to cut a 14-point WKU lead in half on a jumper and two free throws from Chris Cokley and a trey by Lee.
Consecutive layups from Justin Johnson and Pancake Thomas pushed the lead back to 11. After WKU led by double digits for most of the second half, Hakeem Baxter hit a three-pointer with just over four minutes remaining to pull UAB with nine point. The Hilltoppers, however, used a 9-1 run after Baxter’s triple to build their largest lead of the game at 76-59.
“I thought we came out and competed in the first half and really played with intensity and energy,” UAB head coach Robert Ehsan said. “We just didn’t have an answer for Justin Johnson in the second half and he really hurt us down the stretch.”
WKU (13-14, 7-7) built a 25-15 lead midway through the second half before Deion Lavender hit a layup to cap a 9-2 run that trimmed the Hilltoppers’ lead to three. WKU answered with a 9-0 run to push its lead up to 12.
The Blazers climbed to within eight points thereafter, but the WKU defense held UAB without a field goal for the final five minutes to open a 44-30 lead at halftime. The Hilltoppers shot 56.7 percent in the first half and went 6-for-11 from three-point range.
UAB returns to action Sunday, Feb. 26 at 12 p.m. when the Blazers host Middle Tennessee at noon from Bartow Arena.
For more information on UAB men’s basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
