Buzzer Beater Waved Off as UAB Drops a Heartbreaker to Troy, 74-73

Friday, December 21

Bartow Arena

7 p.m.

UAB

7-5

Troy

6-5

TROY

UAB

Buzzer Beater Waved Off as UAB Drops a Heartbreaker to Troy, 74-73

12/21/2018 10:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM – A last-gasp buzzer beater from senior Jalen Perry found the bottom of the net to send Bartow Arena into a frenzy, but his effort was eventually waved off as Troy escaped Bartow Arena with a 74-73 victory over the UAB men's basketball team on Friday night.

Down one point with 12 seconds to play, the Blazers looked to push through sophomore Zack Bryant, whose shot was rejected and retrieved at half court by Perry. Needing a bucket to steal the win, Perry launched a shot that kissed off the glass and in, but the shot was ultimately ruled to be a tenth-of-a-second late to send Troy home with the victory.

UAB (7-5) was lights out in the second half after a sluggish performance in the opening 20 minutes, shooting 54.8 percent (17-for-31) from the field and a 50.0 percent (5-for-10) effort from long distance after making just one triple in the first half.

Bryant led three Blazers in double figures with 18 points on the evening, just ahead of Lewis Sullivan, who scored 13 points in the second half to finish with 15 despite missing most the opening period due to early foul trouble. Jordon Varnado paced Troy with a game-high 32 points.

After trading buckets in the first four minutes, Troy jumped out to an early 12-8 lead 6:36 into the game, an advantage it held onto throughout the remainder of the half as the visitors went into the locker room up 37-31 after Malik Burnett's late 3-pointer.

The Blazers' offense came to life in the second half when a 11-2 run sparked by five points from Sullivan, to propel the Blazers to a 44-39 lead and force a Troy timeout.

Sullivan went back to work with 6:44 remaining in the game, cashing in a baseline jumper to give UAB its largest lead of the evening, 63-54. That lead dwindled down over the next four minutes of play and the game was eventually knotted up at 67 points apiece at the 2:31 mark after a layup by Troy's BJ Miller.

UAB had a chance to pull away late at the charity stripe, but three missed free throws summed up a 7-for-22 night from the line and gave Troy a glimmer of hope, which it capitalized on when Varnado sank a jumper with 12 seconds to play. With the game on the line, Perry found himself with a chance to win the game, but his effort was late to clinch the victory for the Trojans.

The Blazers were 48.4 percent overall for the game (30-of-62), while Troy was 49.1 percent (26-of-53). Along with Vaenado's 32, Alex Hicks contributed a double0double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans.

The Blazers are back in action on Saturday, December 29 when they host Arkansas-Monticello at 1 p.m.

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