Saturday's Sports Update: Blazers' comeback trumps Owls
Yan Digilov
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Sports
The game would become increasingly physical as UAB tried to hold off the Owls throughout the rest of the half. Four minutes into the second, the Owls had already accumulated six fouls. Both teams finished the game in double bonus.
Thanks in large part to UAB's point guard, Aaron Johnson, who finished the game with 28 points, those fouls turned into points for the Blazers. The visitors finished the game making 28 of 34 free throws.
Unable to find a scoring rhythm, Rice watched the game get away from them, and with 12:00 left in the game the score was 52-38. But for the rest of the game, the Owls exhibited outstanding defense, forcing UAB to take 16 three-pointers, eight of which they made.
Both players and fans got back into the game for the rest of the half. Thanks to their defensive strength, Rice cut the score to 55-48 with nine minutes left. The Owls seemed to find their offensive spark with both Stanton and Kazemi applying pressure at the post, but the Blazers had an answer for everything thrown their way.
After going down by 11, Cliff Ghoram got the crowd back into it with a three-pointer that made it 61-53, but UAB responded on the other side with a three-pointer of its own. After Kuipers fired back from beyond the arc, the Blazers drained two in a row from downtown, demoralizing the home team.
"They just hit some big shots, huge shots -daggers," Head Coach Ben Braun said. "We could have climbed, but we dug a hole for ourselves."
Making their free throws down the stretch, UAB was able to pull out a comfortable 76-65 win.
The Owls next face Texas A&M International on Monday at 7 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Thanks in large part to UAB's point guard, Aaron Johnson, who finished the game with 28 points, those fouls turned into points for the Blazers. The visitors finished the game making 28 of 34 free throws.
Unable to find a scoring rhythm, Rice watched the game get away from them, and with 12:00 left in the game the score was 52-38. But for the rest of the game, the Owls exhibited outstanding defense, forcing UAB to take 16 three-pointers, eight of which they made.
Both players and fans got back into the game for the rest of the half. Thanks to their defensive strength, Rice cut the score to 55-48 with nine minutes left. The Owls seemed to find their offensive spark with both Stanton and Kazemi applying pressure at the post, but the Blazers had an answer for everything thrown their way.
After going down by 11, Cliff Ghoram got the crowd back into it with a three-pointer that made it 61-53, but UAB responded on the other side with a three-pointer of its own. After Kuipers fired back from beyond the arc, the Blazers drained two in a row from downtown, demoralizing the home team.
"They just hit some big shots, huge shots -daggers," Head Coach Ben Braun said. "We could have climbed, but we dug a hole for ourselves."
Making their free throws down the stretch, UAB was able to pull out a comfortable 76-65 win.
The Owls next face Texas A&M International on Monday at 7 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse.
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