Troy University Athletics
Troy University
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Trojans Fall to In-State Foe UAB On The Road
11/22/2011 9:14:00 PM | Basketball (M)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Despite being tied at halftime and in a game that had 11 ties and lead changes, the Troy men's basketball team fell to in-state foe UAB, 71-59, at Bartow Arena in Birmingham.
Sophomore R.J. Scott led the Trojans with a career-high 17 points, while off the bench junior Justin Wright would add 14 points in the loss.
"We were getting good shots as we moved the ball around, when you lose the lead the other team tends to play with more confidence and we let them out of pressure situaitons," head coach Don Maestri said.
For the first time this season, Troy (1-3) was out rebounded by an opponent, as the Blazers out rebounded the Trojans, 41-30.
UAB's Cameron Moore recorded his first double-double of the sesaon with a 22-point, 17-rebound performance against Troy. Ovie Soko also recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers.
At the free throw line, UAB was 23-of-32, while Troy only attempted 12 free throws making six. Troy recorded 27 fouls tonight, the most this season, while the Blazers commited just 14 fouls in 40 minutes of play.
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UAB 71, TROY 59
After starting at 1-for-5 from three-point range in the first ten minutes, Troy hit six of it's next eight three's to help the Trojans stick with the Blazers in the first half.
Troy shot 41 percent from the field in the first half, while hitting seven of 13 three pointers, while in the second half Troy would connect on four of ten oppurtunities from three-point range.
The Trojans went into halftime tied with UAB for the first time in series history, the closest margin at half before tonight's game was last season's matchup when Troy was down at two at the half, but fell 77-59 to the Blazers.
Troy was 7-of-13 from three-point range in the first half, getting trey's from R.J. Scott, Justin Wright, Daronte Clark, and Alan Jones. The Trojans were out rebounded by the Blazers in the first half, as UAB got nine of it's 19 first half rebound from senior forward Cameron Moore.
But, Troy's defense kept the Blazers from using their size and only allowed 12 points in the paint. Troy's bench would out score UAB's bench 13-0 in the first half.
In the second half, Troy would experience two scoring droughts from the field as the Trojans would not hit a shot for 3:13 during one period of the second half, as the Blazers went on a 10-0 run to stretch their lead to eight points. Wright would end the drought, by hitting a up-and-under layup.
The Blazers' 16-4 run stretched their lead to 14, the biggest of the game, as UAB attacked the Trojans inside the paint, where the Blazers scored 22 points. Troy did not score a basket during the run, which last over three minutes.
UAB would also score 10 points off second chances to Troy's two, while the Trojans bench outscored the Blazers, 25-24.
Troy would finish the night going 47 percent from three-point range, a season-high for the Trojans.
Troy continues on the road, as the Trojans take on Southern Utah on November 26 at 8:00 p.m. in Cedar City, Utah.
The Trojans return home for a two-game homestand on Tuesday, November 29 at 7:00 p.m., as the East Tennessee State Buccaneers pay a return visit to Troy. The Trojans and Bucs met on November 19, with ETSU knocking off the Trojans, 81-71.
Troy rounds out the two-game homestand with the Miami (OH) Redhawks, Saturday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m.
