Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UAB
Buzzer-Beater Gives UAB 45-44 Win Over Herd Women
2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Amber Jones connected on a jumper as time expired, giving UAB a 45-44 win over the Marshall University women's basketball team Saturday evening at Bartow Arena.
Marshall (14-14, 6-9 C-USA) took a 44-43 lead with 19 seconds remaining on a Chantelle Handy lay-up, but with 2.2 seconds remaining, UAB (13-14, 7-8 C-USA) scored on Jones jumper at the buzzer, giving the Blazers the win.
The Herd got off to a solid start, jumping out to a 9-4 lead eight minutes into the contest. Kendra King, who scored 36 points in the first meeting against the Blazers, notched four early on. The defense had a strong start, holding UAB to just 2-of-15 shooting to begin the game.
Despite holding a five-point edge, the Herd offense struggled out of the gate, hitting three of its first 13 shot attempts while turning the ball over seven times in the first ten minutes. That all changed as redshirt freshman Veronica Ruiz hit three-consecutive buckets for MU, pushing its lead to 15-8 with 7:13 left in the half.
UAB would finish the period on an 11-5 run to find itself down by a point, 20-19, at the half. The Blazers held the Herd to just one field goal over the final seven minutes of the half.
The offensive struggles continued for the Herd early in the second half as the Blazers began the half on a 7-0 run while forcing the Herd to miss its first four shots of the half. Thirty-one seconds into the period, Jasmine Green hit a lay-up to put UAB up 21-20, its first advantage since early in the game.
Amanda Peterson kept the run going by hitting a three before Tamika Dukes capped off the run with a jumper. Just over four minutes in, Tynikki Crook, who missed her first seven shots of the game, hit a jumper for MU's first points of the half.
The game remained close over the next eight minutes before a run by the Blazers put them up by five points, 37-32. Jala Harris, who tallied 40 points in the first meeting with the Herd, found her groove, hitting a pair of shot jumpers to extend the lead.
Marshall fought right back, embarking on an 8-2 run to retake the lead. Handy scored the final four points of the stretch, including a long jumper with the shot clock running out. Following a UAB timeout, the Blazers jumped right back on top, 42-40, as Amanda Peterson knocked down her second trey of the contest.
With 1:20 remaining, UAB found itself up 43-40 before Kendra King grabbed an offensive board and put it back to bring the Herd within one. Following a Blazer miss, the Herd got the ball back with 46 seconds left. After missing its first attempt, it got the ball back with 19 seconds left and Handy delivered once again, putting back a missed shot to put MU back on top.
Handy was fouled on the shot, but missed the ensuing free throw, giving possession back to the Blazers. Amber Jones missed a shot with 2.2 seconds left, however, the miss went out of bounds off a Marshall player, giving the Blazers one last chance and Jones delivered, hitting a jumper on the in-bound pass to give UAB the win.
Three Herd players finished in double figures, led by 11 points from King and Handy. Ruiz finished with 10. Crook led all players with ten rebounds, but scored just two points. Dukes was the lone double-digit scorer for UAB, scoring 10.
Marshall edged UAB in rebounding, 41-40, however the Blazers finished with a .345-.320 shooting advantage. With the loss, the Herd has now dropped six of its last seven games.
Marshall will return home for its final game of the regular season, playing host to East Carolina at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening. It will also mark Senior Day as the Herd's three seniors; Chantelle Handy, Angelica Harris and Kendra King will be honored prior to the game.
