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Men's Basketball Cruises By Charlotte In C-USA First Round, 85-61
March 12, 2003
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Eric Bush scored 21 points and Morris Finley added 17 as UAB dominated the second half of an 85-61 victory over Charlotte in the first round of the Conference USA tournament on Wednesday night.
Sidney Ball added 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and Gabe Kennedy scored 14 for the Blazers (17-11), who will play top-seeded and eighth-ranked Marquette (23-4) in Thursday's quarterfinals. "Our defensive intensity was the best its been all year long," UAB head coach Mike Anderson said. "We were able to get the tempo going the way we wanted it." "We've been working hard. We have a young basketball team and as a coach you have to have confidence in them. Now the young players are no longer freshmen and really stepped up tonight."
Curtis Nash scored 14 for Charlotte (13-16), which had won six straight tournament openers since a first-round loss to DePaul in 1996.
The 49ers led by as many as six in a see-saw first half. Charlotte had a 22-13 first-half rebounding edge but trailed by five at halftime because of 12 turnovers.
Bush and Finley scored 31 of UAB's 39 first-half points.
The 49ers still trailed 45-39 when Kennedy scored twice inside to start a decisive 25-2 run.
Bush sank a 3-pointer with 14:36 left to push UAB's lead to 52-39. Charlotte's Bobby Lutz earned a technical foul 30 seconds later but that only fueled the Blazers' momentum.
The 49ers missed their next five shots and committed five turnovers as UAB's half-court defense took control.
The Blazers hit nine straight shots, the final three on breakaway layups
generated from Charlotte mistakes.
The 49ers didn't threaten again, dropping their third straight game and finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1995-96. They outrebounded UAB 45-32 but shot 34 percent (20-of-59) and finished with 21 turnovers.
The Blazers and Golden Eagles will face off on Thursday night at 6 p.m. CST in Freedom Hall. |
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