Jan. 17, 2008

UAB vs. UTEP Game Notes | Gametracker

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB women's basketball team will put its undefeated 3-0 Conference USA record on the line when it plays a pair of road games this weekend, beginning with a first-place battle at UTEP on Friday at 7:05 p.m. MT. The Blazers will then make the trek to New Orleans, La. to play Tulane on Sunday, with tip-off slated for 2:00 p.m. CT.

UAB, which is coming off back-to-back overtime wins at home last week, is on a three-game win streak to put its record at 7-9 overall and 3-0 in the league.

The Blazers and the UTEP Miners will meet for the fourth time on Friday, with UAB holding a 2-1 edge in the all-time series, including a 54-43 victory over the Miners a season ago in Birmingham. UAB will be playing in El Paso for just the second time in history, dropping its only previous outing there, 72-69, two years ago.

UAB is paced by reigning C-USA Co-Player of the Week, senior guard/forward Diamond Rogers. Rogers leads the Blazers and the league in scoring with 17.7 ppg, a number that ranks 37th in the nation. She also leads her team with 8.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. In conference games only, Rogers is averaging a double-double with 20.0 ppg and 11.7 rpg, which is first and second in the league, respectively.

Also putting up big numbers for the Blazers is senior guard Crystal McFadden, who is scoring 13.4 points and grabbing 5.6 rebounds per contest. Junior guard Britney Jones is scoring 11.3 ppg and nabbing a team-best 2.5 spg.

UTEP, along with UAB and Tulsa, is in first place in the conference at 3-0, while also boasting a 12-2 overall mark. The Miners' record has them receiving votes in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches' Poll (Jan. 15).

Sophomore guard and last season's C-USA Freshman of the Year Jareica Hughes paces UTEP with 13.8 ppg overall and 16.7 ppg in league games only. Natasha Lacy is scoring 12.1 ppg and pulling down 5.4 rpg while leading the team in assists (4.4 apg) and steals (2.8 spg). Lacy is also listed as 34th in the country in assists and 19th-nationally in steals.

UAB and Tulane will tangle for the 26th time on Sunday afternoon, with the Green Wave holding an 18-7 advantage in the all-time series. Tulane was victorious in the previous meeting, topping the Blazers 66-48 a season ago in New Orleans.

Tulane, the defending C-USA regular season champions, has an 11-5 combined record and a 1-2 mark in the league. After winning its league opener, the Green Wave has dropped its last two at Houston and at home versus UTEP.

Brittany Lindsey is Tulane's leading scorer with 11.5 ppg, followed by Ashley Langford with 10.9 ppg and a team-high 5.4 apg. Alendra Brown paces the Green Wave on the boards with 6.6 rpg, while also adding 8.6 ppg.