UAB holds off second-half rally by Roadrunners on Saturday, 73-57UAB holds off second-half rally by Roadrunners on Saturday, 73-57
Women's Basketball

UAB holds off second-half rally by Roadrunners on Saturday, 73-57

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — UAB held off a second-half UTSA rally and handed the Roadrunners a 73-57 loss at Bartow Arena on Saturday afternoon.

UTSA (9-12, 4-5 C-USA) was held to 31 percent shooting (21-of-66), while the Blazers fired 59 percent (24-of-41).

All but Roadrunner scored in the loss, as 11 saw action.

Despite committing a season-low seven turnovers, UTSA was unable to capitalize in a second-half rally that saw it pull to within five at 54-49 with 9:10 to play following a 17-3 run.

However, UAB (11-9, 5-4 C-USA) responded with a 9-0 run of its own to pull away.

The Blazers led by as many as 20 points late in the game en route to their second consecutive victory.

Crystal Chidomere netted nine points with a season-high five rebounds to lead the Roadrunners. Tesha Smith was just short of her third double-double of the season with eight points and nine rebounds.

Janae Smith led UAB with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Brittany Winborne chipped in with a season-best 14 points, including a dozen in the opening 20 minutes.

UTSA faced a 16-point deficit at the half, tying for its largest halftime deficit of the campaign. The Roadrunners shot 29 percent (10-of-34) in the opening stanza.

The Blazers scored 19 straight points to go up, 24-8, but Mannasha Bell put a stop to the Roadrunners' scoring drought with a layup at the 10:26 mark.

That started a stretch of a seven consecutive points that saw UTSA pull to within nine at 24-19.

The Roadrunners will return to the Convocation Center on Thursday, Feb. 5, when they host FIU (3-15, 0-6 C-USA) at 7 p.m.