W-OLF
03-09-2006, 11:07 PM
Kinnard Leads No. 24 UAB at C-USA Tourney
Published: 3/9/06, 4:44 PM EDT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - UAB has one of the top defenses in the country, and coach Mike Anderson believes the Blazers are playing even better in the postseason.
That doesn't bode well for future opponents in the Conference USA tournament.
Lawrence Kinnard scored 12 points and three other Blazers finished in double figures as No. 24 UAB beat SMU 69-55 in Thursday's quarterfinals.
"We're getting more balance. It's a little different now," Anderson said. "The turnovers happen, and that's great, but we also are rebounding and getting into our transition game. The multiple defenses we are playing is helping. Our zone is pretty good. Our man, at times, is pretty good, and our bench is a key."
As usual, the Blazers' defense contributed to the offense. UAB forced 26 turnovers, leading to 27 points. When the Mustangs made a small run early in the second half, it was UAB's defense that contributed to a 10-0 spurt that put the game out of reach.
"We had an opportunity to score some easy buckets, and our defense was extremely good," Anderson said.
UAB won its seventh straight and nine of 10. Richard Jones finished with 12 points, and Paul Delaney and Marvett McDonald each added 11 for the Blazers. Kinnard made all six of his shots from the field.
"As a team, we played very good as far as our team defense," Delaney said. "We tried to work on our weak-side help because we knew we were lacking in that aspect. I just think we tried to hustle and do our best. Down the stretch, we need to work on our defense a little better. We didn't get enough stops toward the end."
UAB (23-5), which moved into the Top 25 this week after defeating No. 5 Memphis, will play the winner of Southern Mississippi-Texas-El Paso. The Blazers are playing in the conference semifinals for the fourth straight year under Anderson.
SMU (13-16), which won its opening round game over Rice 61-59, has never defeated a ranked team in a conference tournament.
Bryan Hopkins led the 10th-seed Mustangs with 13 points, but was 5-of-15 from the field, while Devon Pearson had 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Hopkins, who missed all seven of his field goal attempts in the tournament opener, believed he needed to step up his offense.
"Against a Top 25 team like UAB, I knew I had to score some points," said Hopkins, SMU's leading scorer. "My team needed me in that area. I just tried to play my hardest and do whatever I could."
UAB's swarming defense caused problems from the start as SMU committed 17 turnovers in the first half. UAB took a 36-26 halftime lead. Brandon Tobias and Delaney had eight points each for UAB, while Hopkins finally hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Mustangs within 10.
SMU coach Jimmy Tubbs said turnovers and shooting 35 percent contributed to the Mustangs' problems.
"It's a combination of not shooting the basketball well and turning the basketball over that resulted in the loss," Tubbs said. "It was a combination of half court and full court. We lost some balls in the backcourt.
Hopkins began penetrating early in the second half and helped SMU cut the lead to 38-32. UAB answered with a 10-0 run, punctuated by Kinnard's midcourt steal and dunk and McDonald's second 3-pointer in the stretch, and the Blazers built the lead back to 48-32.
"I think the majority of our turnovers were mental mistakes, a lack of concentration and then being careless with the ball," Hopkins said. "The UAB press didn't bother us as much as it bothers other people. But once we broke it, we made some ill-advised decisions."
credit BellSouth
Published: 3/9/06, 4:44 PM EDT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - UAB has one of the top defenses in the country, and coach Mike Anderson believes the Blazers are playing even better in the postseason.
That doesn't bode well for future opponents in the Conference USA tournament.
Lawrence Kinnard scored 12 points and three other Blazers finished in double figures as No. 24 UAB beat SMU 69-55 in Thursday's quarterfinals.
"We're getting more balance. It's a little different now," Anderson said. "The turnovers happen, and that's great, but we also are rebounding and getting into our transition game. The multiple defenses we are playing is helping. Our zone is pretty good. Our man, at times, is pretty good, and our bench is a key."
As usual, the Blazers' defense contributed to the offense. UAB forced 26 turnovers, leading to 27 points. When the Mustangs made a small run early in the second half, it was UAB's defense that contributed to a 10-0 spurt that put the game out of reach.
"We had an opportunity to score some easy buckets, and our defense was extremely good," Anderson said.
UAB won its seventh straight and nine of 10. Richard Jones finished with 12 points, and Paul Delaney and Marvett McDonald each added 11 for the Blazers. Kinnard made all six of his shots from the field.
"As a team, we played very good as far as our team defense," Delaney said. "We tried to work on our weak-side help because we knew we were lacking in that aspect. I just think we tried to hustle and do our best. Down the stretch, we need to work on our defense a little better. We didn't get enough stops toward the end."
UAB (23-5), which moved into the Top 25 this week after defeating No. 5 Memphis, will play the winner of Southern Mississippi-Texas-El Paso. The Blazers are playing in the conference semifinals for the fourth straight year under Anderson.
SMU (13-16), which won its opening round game over Rice 61-59, has never defeated a ranked team in a conference tournament.
Bryan Hopkins led the 10th-seed Mustangs with 13 points, but was 5-of-15 from the field, while Devon Pearson had 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Hopkins, who missed all seven of his field goal attempts in the tournament opener, believed he needed to step up his offense.
"Against a Top 25 team like UAB, I knew I had to score some points," said Hopkins, SMU's leading scorer. "My team needed me in that area. I just tried to play my hardest and do whatever I could."
UAB's swarming defense caused problems from the start as SMU committed 17 turnovers in the first half. UAB took a 36-26 halftime lead. Brandon Tobias and Delaney had eight points each for UAB, while Hopkins finally hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Mustangs within 10.
SMU coach Jimmy Tubbs said turnovers and shooting 35 percent contributed to the Mustangs' problems.
"It's a combination of not shooting the basketball well and turning the basketball over that resulted in the loss," Tubbs said. "It was a combination of half court and full court. We lost some balls in the backcourt.
Hopkins began penetrating early in the second half and helped SMU cut the lead to 38-32. UAB answered with a 10-0 run, punctuated by Kinnard's midcourt steal and dunk and McDonald's second 3-pointer in the stretch, and the Blazers built the lead back to 48-32.
"I think the majority of our turnovers were mental mistakes, a lack of concentration and then being careless with the ball," Hopkins said. "The UAB press didn't bother us as much as it bothers other people. But once we broke it, we made some ill-advised decisions."
credit BellSouth