The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Florida Atlantic
Blazers Escape FAU with 78-75 Win
3/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: UAB 78, Florida Atlantic 75 Final Box (PDF) l Season Stats
Records: UAB (14-14, 7-10 C-USA), Florida Atlantic (4-24, 0-17)
Location: Boca Raton, Fla., FAU Arena
Series Record: UAB leads 7-2; Norton vs. FAU: 5-2; In Boca: 3-1
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Led by junior guard Whytney Singleton’s career-high 16 points, the UAB women’s basketball team escaped Boca Raton with a 78-75 win over Florida Atlantic Thursday Night at FAU Arena. The Blazers had three other players in double figures in Janeka Williams (11), Rachael Childress (11) and Imani Johnson (10).
UAB NOTES
- UAB improves to 14-14 this season and 7-10 in C-USA play
- Head coach Randy Norton improves to 63-58 and 32-35 in conference play
- As a team, the Blazers hit four 3-pointers, totaling 205 made triples this season; the team’s combined 205 3-pointers ranks third in the UAB record book for 3-point made field goals in a single and season and they need 11 more to move into second place
- The starting lineup of Deanna Kuzmanic, Miyah Barnes, Rachael Childress, Keonna Farmer, and Janeka Williams improves to 7-8 and picked up their second road win
- The Blazers picked up their fourth road win of the season and second consecutive win at FAU Arena
- As a team UAB is outscoring opponents by +107 in the second half and by +68 in the fourth quarter alone
- The Blazers’ bench outscored the Owls’ bench 36-24 marking the 20th time UAB has outscored its opponents bench this season
- UAB’s three-point victory is the seventh game in the series with FAU decided by less than 10 points and the fifth game decided by two possessions or less
- UAB shot 54 percent (32-of-59) marking the 20th time this season the Blazers have shot over 40 percent from the field and sixth time UAB has shot over 50 percent
- 54 of the Blazers’ points came in the paint, a season best
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Junior Whytney Singleton’s 16 points tied her career high for the second time; Singleton led the Blazers in scoring for the second time this season and third time in her career
- Singleton knocked down a career-high seven shots on 7-of-9 showing from the floor
- Senior Janeka Williams’ 11 points is her third consecutive game in double figures; it marks her eighth double figure scoring game of the season and 10 of her career
- Freshman Imani Johnson’s 10 points is a career high in league play, passing her previous high of nine points set Jan. 19 against FAU; Johnson’s five field goals tied a career high for the second time; Johnson scored in double figures for the third time in her career
- Junior Keonna Farmer reeled in a team-best 12 rebounds marking the sixth double-digit rebounding game of her career; Farmer led the Blazers on the boards for the 18th time this season, a team-high
- Williams and Singleton led UAB with three assists apiece; it was Singleton’s sixth time leading UAB in assists, Williams’ fourth
- Freshman Rachael Childress’ connected on four 3-pointers, totaling 89 made triples this season; her 89 3-pointers ranks second in the UAB record books for 3-point field goals made in a single season and she needs 14 more to move into first place
- Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic made her 59th consecutive start, the longest active streak on the team; junior Keonna Farmer made 28th career start, a career long; freshman Miyah Barnes made her 25th consecutive start, the most by any freshman on the roster
BREAKING DOWN THE BOX SCORE
- Overall, the Blazers shot 32-of-59 (54.2 percent) from the floor, despite going just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from long range
- FAU shot 43.9 percent (29-of-66) overall and 7-of-21 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc
- UAB outscored FAU 54-44 in the paint, 19-10 in points off turnovers, and 36-24 in bench points
- FAU out-rebounded UAB 40-33; the held a slight 9-4 advantage in second chance points
- After four turnovers in the first quarter, the Blazers committed just six the rest of the contest; UAB forced 14 FAU turnovers
- UAB outscored FAU 17-11 in the final five minutes
- UAB led for 21:35, while FAU led for 14:35; there were eight ties and four lead changes
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UAB took an early 10-6 lead in the contest as the Blazers shot 5-of-8 (62.5 percent) to start the contest. UAB maintained its lead over FAU as it led 21-15 after the opening 10.
- In the second quarter, the Owls shot 10-of-20 from the floor to UAB’s 8-of-14 (57.1 percent), allowing FAU to take a slight 41-38 lead halfway through.
- After trading buckets to begin the third, an 11-2 FAU run gave the Owls a 57-49 lead, its largest of the contest with 2:50 remaining in the third. Singleton was able to spark the Blazers offense as she cut the FAU lead to three, 60-57, heading into the fourth quarter.
- Imani Johnson cut the lead to two, but free throws by FAU allowed the Owls to take a 64-59 lead with just over eight to go in the game. The Blazers regained their lead, 66-64, with back-to-back jumpers by Janeka Williams. Senior leadership took over in the final five minutes, as free throws by Williams, Deanna Kuzmanic, Keonna Farmer and Kara Rawls kept the Owls at bay.
ON DECK
The Blazers wrap up the regular season with a Saturday matinee at FIU slated for 1 p.m. CT inside FIU Arena.
CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Blazers then return to Birmingham to compete in the Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Metro PCS beginning Wednesday at UAB's Bartow Arena. The Blazers' opponent has yet to be revealed.
The Blazers have chosen the 12:30 p.m. time slot for the Conference USA Tournament. Tickets for women's basketball single session tickets are set to go on sale online on Sunday, March 5. Tickets for Wednesday and Thursday games, held at Bartow Arena, are $10.
Tickets for Friday and Saturday's semifinals and finals are $20 and include both the men's and women's games held at Legacy Arena.
All session tickets are available to purchase here.
For more information on UAB women's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), Instagram (@UAB_WBBALL) and facebook (UAB Women's Basketball).
