UAB Falls to Georgia in Exhibition Heartbreaker, 56-54

Thursday, October 18

Bartow Arena

7 p.m.

UAB

0-0

Georgia

0-0

Georgia

UAB

UAB Falls to Georgia in Exhibition Heartbreaker, 56-54

10/18/2018 11:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

BIRMINGHAM – Down two points with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game, the UAB men's basketball team put together what looked to be a promising possession but could not find the shot it needed as it fell to the Georgia Bulldogs, 56-54, on Thursday night.

With 19 seconds to play and UAB with the ball, sophomore Zack Bryant drove hard into the paint but lost control of the ball going to the rim as time expired.

"I am extremely proud of how our guys competed tonight against a very good Georgia squad," head coach Robert Ehsan said. "I had an idea of where we were, but it is nice to have something to judge our progress off. I thought the crowd and energy in Bartow was fantastic, so I want to thank our fans as well. Overall, we will watch the film and get back to work and prepare for Morehouse College."

As a unit, the Blazers overcame a 12.5 percent (2-for-16) shooting effort from beyond the arc to finish the game shooting 34.5 percent (20-for-58) and held the lead in the contest for 29:22. Defensively, the Blazers recorded 10 steals en route to outscoring the Bulldogs, 23-11, in points off turnovers.

Bryant led all scorers on the night with 14 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field. Senior Jalen Perry also contributed double figures, finishing the game with 12 points in 31 minutes of action. Lewis Sullivan and Will Butler paced the Blazer backcourt, adding nine points each and hauling in six and seven rebounds, respectively, while newcomer Tyreek Scott-Grayson added five points in the loss.

Georgia was led offensively by Rayshaun Hammonds, who tallied 13 points and hauled in nine rebounds in 21 minutes.

Both teams came to play early, trading buckets throughout the majority of the opening period. UAB took its biggest lead of the first half when Butler converted a layup to put the Blazers ahead 27-21. Georgia clawed back late, though, as the Blazers went scoreless over the final 2:20, but a stout defensive presence preserved the 27-25 lead heading into halftime.

With the game tied with 15:58 to play, the Blazers scored six quick points to push the lead out to 38-34. A swift 7-0 run from the Bulldogs moments later propelled them into the lead, 41-38, but UAB responded with a big 8-0 run of its own on the back of shots from Scott-Grayson and Perry to regain the lead at 46-42 with 7:11 remaining.

The momentum began to shift with less than five minutes to play when Georgia scored six points in the span of two minutes to take a 53-52 lead with 2:04 on the clock. That lead was not relinquished as Georgia held off UAB's last-ditch efforts to complete the 56-54 victory.

UAB returns to the court on Thursday, November 1 when it hosts Morehouse College in its second exhibition game. Tipoff from Bartow Arena is slated for 7 p.m.

Individual season tickets for the 2018-19 UAB men's basketball campaign are on sale now and start as low as $105 in Blaze's Corner. New mini plan options for this upcoming season include the Family Four Pack, the Magic City Mini Pack and the Flex Pack. For more information, call the UAB Athletics ticket office at 205-975-UAB1.

For more information on the UAB men's basketball team follow the Blazers on Twitter and Instagram (@UAB_MBB).