Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UAB
Another Tight Game Fells @HerdMBB at UAB, 95-91
2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Junior guard Stevie Browning (Logan, W.Va.) contributed a career-high 23 points to lead a quintet of double-figure scorers for Marshall men's basketball (15-13, 11-4) in a 95-91 loss to Conference USA-leading UAB (23-5, 13-2) on Thursday night at Bartow Arena.
"We did everything like we were supposed to do, we just couldn't catch the break," coach Dan D'Antoni said. "Our guys played hard. We could see them [UAB] again and we'll see what happens then. The big games are still out there. We're going to go toe-to-toe with them. They've got a great ball club. We just need to find our way around the close games, and we will. We keep rocking and we keep playing; that door will open up."
Browning shot a blistering 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range (3-of-6) and was 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Ryan Taylor (Indianapolis) and Jon Elmore (Charleston, W.Va.) followed Browning with 19 points apiece. James Kelly (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had 12 points, and redshirt freshman C.J. Burks (Martinsburg, W.Va.) posted 12 off the bench. Kelly and Taylor were each one rebound away from posting double-doubles. Terrence Thompson (Durham, N.C.) was the only other Herd player to score, with six points. He hit the first 3-pointer of his career at 6:27 of the first half.
The Herd led for all but 4:32 of the first half, by as many as 10 (31-21) with 10:01 remaining before halftime. UAB never went away, chipping at Marshall's advantage until finally outgaining the Herd at 4:11, up 41-40 after a 6-0 run. The score tied three times during the remaining four minutes; the third time coming on a Taylor layup with one second remaining on the clock. The teams went to the locker rooms locked at 49. Three Marshall players reached double-figure scoring by halftime: Browning with 13 points, Kelly and Taylor each with 10.
With a jumper by Kelly to start the second half, Marshall earned its first lead (51-49) since the score read 40-38 at 4:51 in the first period. A 5-0 run put the Blazers back in front, 54-51, but the Herd answered with a 7-0 run of its own to storm ahead, 58-54, at 16:38. It would stand as Marshall's largest lead of the second half. UAB tied the game for the sixth time, 59-59, on a layup by Robert Brown at 13:57, and continued a 7-0 run to take a 62-59 lead.
Kelly was forced to take a seat with his fourth foul coming at 9:50. The Blazers reached their largest lead of the contest, up 73-66, with 8:14 remaining. The Herd was down, but not out. Marshall responded with a 10-0 run to go ahead, 76-73, at 6:23. The teams remained within four points of each other for the remainder of the contest. With a minute left, Dirk Williams hit a 3-pointer to make it 89-85 for the Blazers. The Herd was forced into a score-and-call timeout situation for the remaining time, and could not overcome the deficit. UAB claimed its 24th consecutive home win, 95-91.
MILESTONES
Stevie Browning: 23 points (career high)
C.J. Burks: 5 rebounds (tied career high)
UP NEXT
The Herd will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee for a second time at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday. For the latest information about Marshall men's basketball, follow @HerdMBB on Twitter.
---HerdZone.com---
