Ivy Brown scored a game-high 25 points and was one of three Lady Toppers in double figures, but WKU dropped its first C-USA matchup of the 2017-18 season in a 79-61 decision at UAB on Saturday evening inside Bartow Arena.
Ivy Brown fell just shy of a double-double with 25 points and nine rebounds for WKU (12-5, 3-1 C-USA) while also adding a career-best six blocks. Dee Givens totaled 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 on three-pointers, and Tashia Brown notched 13 points with five rebounds and four assists on the evening.
For UAB (14-2, 3-0 C-USA), Miyah Barnes and Rachael Childress led the way with 18 points apiece, and Deanna Kuzmanic joined them in double figures with 15 points. Barnes dished out a game-high six assists, and the Blazers, who entered the contest leading Division I in three-point field goal percentage, knocked down nine of their 20 shots (45.0 percent) from beyond the arc.
After WKU jumped out to an early 4-2 lead, UAB responded with five straight points over the next two minutes to grab the lead. Childress sparked the stretch for the Blazers with a three-pointer, and Kara Rawls’ layup at the 6:09 mark gave UAB an early 7-4 edge.
Givens’ first three-pointer of the night with 4:44 to play in the opening quarter again pushed the Lady Toppers out in front with a 9-7 advantage, but seven straight points from UAB left WKU facing another deficit. Trista Magee started the burst with a triple, and Kuzmanic’s free throws capped the stretch for a 14-9 UAB lead.
The Blazers’ lead grew to as many as seven points before the end of the frame, but WKU fought back early in the second quarter, outscoring UAB 8-4 over the first two minutes to knot the game at 24-24. Six points during the run from Ivy Brown and another three-pointer from Givens pulled the Lady Toppers even for the first time since midway through the first frame.
Neither team could gain more than a one-possession edge until a deep three-pointer from Terri Smith with just under a minute remaining gave WKU a 41-37 lead. UAB’s Childress knocked down a layup at the buzzer, but WKU carried a 41-39 lead into the halftime break.
Both sides exchanged the lead coming out of the locker room, eventually tying up at 46-46 after UAB’s Barnes hit a layup with 7:32 on the clock. That layup began a 7-0 run for the Blazers, who jumped out in front, 51-46, on another Barnes layup midway through the quarter.
WKU trimmed the deficit back to just two points, 56-54, after four straight points from Ivy Brown with less than a minute to play in the frame, but UAB was able to maintain a 57-54 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
After Childress connected from deep to begin the final frame, WKU was unable to close the gap back to a one-possession game the rest of the way. The Lady Toppers battled hard down the stretch but were not able to battle back for the victory.
WKU will return home to the friendly confines of E.A. Diddle Arena on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. for the Lady Toppers’ annual Spread the Red Education Day game against UTSA. The Lady Toppers have posted a perfect 6-0 record in Education Day tilts since beginning the tradition during the 2010-11 campaign and have defeated a C-USA foe in each of the six outings, including a 60-48 win over UAB last season.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
NOTES:
WKU falls to 12-5 on the season and 3-1 in C-USA action.
– With the setback, the Lady Toppers had their 12-game winning streak in regular season C-USA games snapped. Prior
to Saturday’s game, WKU had not fallen against a league foe on Jan. 28, 2017, at UTSA.
– UAB improves to 14-2 overall and 3-0 in C-USA play. The Blazers are the lone unbeaten team remaining in C-USA through two
weeks of play.
– The Lady Toppers dropped a decision against UAB for the first time since joining C-USA prior to the 2014-15 season. Before
Saturday’s loss, WKU had won the last five straight games against the Blazers.
– NEXT UP: WKU will return home to the friendly confines of E.A. Diddle Arena on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. for the Lady
Toppers’ annual Spread the Red Education Day game against UTSA. The Lady Toppers have posted a perfect 6-0 record in
Education Day tilts since beginning the tradition during the 2010-11 campaign and have defeated a C-USA foe in each of the
six outings, including a 60-48 win over UAB last season.
Team Notes
– WKU used the starting lineup of Whitney Creech, Sherry Porter, Tashia Brown, Ivy Brown and Raneem Elgedawy. The lineup
fell to 5-2 when starting together this season.
– KEY FIRST HALF RUN: Trailing by seven points, 20-13, with a minute to play in the first quarter, WKU outscored the Blazers
11-4 over the next three minutes to tie the game at 24-24. Ivy Brown netted six points during the stretch for WKU, and Dee
Givens chipped in a three-pointer to help bring the Lady Toppers level.
– At halftime, WKU led UAB 41-39. The Lady Toppers fell to 11-3 this season when leading at the halftime break.
– KEY SECOND HALF RUN: UAB twice built a six-point lead midway through the third quarter, but four straight points from Ivy
Brown brought WKU within two points, 56-54, in the final minute of the third quarter.
– WKU matched its season-best total with seven blocks and has had five or more blocks in four of its last five games.
– The Lady Toppers turned the ball over just 10 times and has now had 10 or fewer turnovers in each of their last five games.
Individual Notes
– Ivy Brown finished just shy of a double-double with 25 points and nine rebounds.
– Brown’s 25 points were her second-most in a single game this season, trailing only her 31 points scored at Iowa on
Nov. 11.
– Brown’s six blocks were a career high and were the most by any Lady Topper since Jasmine Johnson also had six
swats against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 23, 2008.
– Dee Givens tallied 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting while also knocking down two of her three three-point attempts.
– Givens reached double figures for the third straight game and has hit that mark in three of WKU’s four C-USA games.
– Tashia Brown picked up two early fouls but still finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.
– Terri Smith played a career-high 21 minutes off the bench for the Lady Toppers.
– Smith knocked down a long three-pointer in the first half and also pulled down a career-best five rebounds.
– @WKUSports –
Currie P. McFayden
WKU Associate Director of Athletic Communications
