Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- UAB's shot at the buzzer was ruled no good as the Belmont University women's basketball team (2-0) rallied back for a dramatic 63-62 win Sunday afternoon at the Curb Event Center.
Junior forward Lauren Thompson's (Franklin, Tenn.) free throw with 15 seconds left proved to be the game winner as Belmont stormed back from a 14 point deficit to stun UAB. Thompson showed great poise to make the adjustment and knock down her second attempt after her first free throw rimmed out.
"It was a great win for us. Anytime you can face the adversity we had and come back like that, being down even 14 points, you have to be very happy," said Head Coach Cameron Newbauer after his team's dramatic win. "For us to have a win like this this early in the season is great. It takes so much heart to perservere through that much adversity, I really couldn't be more proud of our girls after this one."
The Blazers had a chance to tie or win the game after Thompson's go ahead conversion at the charity stripe. UAB's Keonna Farmer looked to provide some late game heroics as she drove to the basket on the right side, but her close range shot rimmed out. Teammate Deanna Kuzmanic grabbed the rebound and banked in a shot from the right side, but after an official replay review, her basket was waved off and Belmont reacted with jubilation.
Sophomore Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) led the Bruins with 17 points including a career-high five 3-pointers. The 5-9 guard also chipped in with a game-high five assists. Jones connected on 5-of-8 from 3-point land, and hit a critical three with 4:32 remaining in regulation.
BU outscored the Blazers 37-24 in the second half, as they earned a great win in front of its home crowd.
Belmont trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter but really made things interesting when Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) knocked down a critical 3-pointer to draw the Bruins within one at 60-59 with under two minutes to play. On the next possession, UAB's Farmer scored to make it 62-59.
The Bruins advanced the ball up the court, and called a timeout half way into the shot clock after UAB hounded them with pesky defense. The Bruins were scrambling to find a good look at the hoop and after an errant pass it looked like UAB forced a crucial turnover. Kylee Smith(Alpharetta, Ga.) fortuitously grabbed the loose ball and drove towards the hoop with just seconds remaining on the shot clock. Smith missed her first attempt but was persistent and grabbed her own board and then finished with contact to earn a trip to the line for the and 1. Smith was true from the line to tie it up 62-62.
Next, UAB's Farmer drove to the hoop but lost control and Jones came up with the loose ball to gain a crucial possession for BU. Belmont advanced up the court and Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) fed Thompson with a lob pass into the interior. Thompson spun and was then fouled. Her free throw with 15 seconds left gave BU its first lead since the 2:06 mark in the first quarter.
Thompson finished with seven points, six rebounds and two blocks.
Belmont connected on 10 3-pointers compared to UAB's two. The Bruins connected on 10-of-21 from the arc good for a 46.7% clip from long range.
Every player who saw action scored for Belmont, as the Bruins again showcased their depth for the second straight game.
UAB opened up the game 0-8 from the field, and Bruins made three of their first five 3's.
The Bruins pulled within one point late in the third quarter when Maggard knocked down a 3-pointer much to the delight of the Belmont faithful. Her three capped a 9-0 run for the Bruins and UAB was forced to call a timeout. Belmont faced a 52-46 deficit at the end of third quarter.
Newbauer utilized the same starting lineup as he did against Young Harris in the season opener as Jones, Thompson, Smith, Maggard and McCabe all earned starting nods on Sunday.
After UAB scored to make it 4-2 in its favor, Jones converted three-consecutive 3-pointers. She scored nine straight points for BU and all the sudden the Bruins held onto a 11-6 lead. The Blazers would ramp things up offensively as they rattled off 10-straight points to close the frame with a 16-11 lead. UAB carried the momentum into the second quarter as it grew its lead to as many as 14 and utilized a 19-0 scoring run that extended from the first quarter to the second quarter. BU trailed 38-26 at the intermission; Jones led the way with nine.
Jones came up huge for Belmont and noted that confidence was the key to her success, "Just having confidence in myself and doing what I've worked on. Just give me the ball and let me shoot it."
Of Belmont's 26 first half points, 18 of them came via the 3-pointer as the Bruins knocked down 6-of-13 long range shots in the first half.
The Bruins return to action Thursday, Nov. 19 when they travel to Columbus, Ohio for a tilt with the Ohio State Buckeyes
