HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Margaret Whitley scored a season-high 21 points and Maria Roters recorded a double-double of 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in UAB’s 68-61 victory over Southern Miss on Thursday evening. With the win the Blazers (13-8, 6-4 C-USA) regain sole possession of first place in Conference USA’s West Division.
Emily Klaczek added 12 points and Zakyia Weathersby scored 10 points, recorded four blocks and pulled down eight rebounds for UAB, who won their sixth straight contest over the Golden Eagles (15-8, 7-5 C-USA).
The Blazers had the momentum early, taking a 10-point lead at 15-5 after the media timeout in the 1st quarter, with five different players scoring. UAB would be ahead 25-21 after the first 10 minutes.
Five straight points by Roters put the Blazers up 23-13 with 7:20 left in the 2nd quarter. The Golden Eagles got within four points before a 3-pointer by Whitley and a layup from Roters made the score 30-21. USM’s Brikayla Gray closed out the first half scoring with a layup.
A Whitley 4-point play put the Blazers in the driver’s seat, giving them a 49-36 lead with 1:31 left in the 3rd quarter. Their lead would get as high as 14 points as the 4th quarter started and again at the 6:37 mark, the later on a Weathersby jumper that made the score 56-42.
USM would make it a two-possession game with 29 seconds remaining at 67-61, but Whitley’s 13th free throw of the game iced the contest.
The Blazers outrebounded the Golden Eagles 42-28 and held USM’s leading scorer Dominique Davis to 11 points under her season average (Davis scored five, averaged 16.0 ppg).
“What a great team win tonight over a very good and well-coached Southern Miss team,” said head coach Randy Norton. “Southern Miss has always been a tough place to win and we thought our kids played with a ton of poise in winning time.”
The Blazers return home on Feb. 13 to host Old Dominion. This is UAB’s annual Pink Game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to raise awareness of breast cancer.
NOTES
- Roters’ previous career-high was 12 rebounds versus Long Island and Grambling
- Whitley’s 13 free throws was the most by any player in C-USA this season and ties her career-best
- UAB finished with a season-best 25 free throws made, the most since New Year’s Eve 2019 against Tuskegee
- Whitley becomes the fourth UAB player to have a 20+ point game this season joining Weathersby, Klaczek and Caitlynn Daniels
- Weathersby moved ahead of Mary Morning into fifth place on UAB’s all-time shot blocking list with 112
C-USA CHAMPIONSHIPS TICKETS
Tickets are now on sale for the 2022 Conference USA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships! Purchase your tickets here.
GOLD CARD
Women’s Basketball season tickets are on sale by purchasing the 2021-22 Gold Card for $65 here. The 2021-22 Gold Card will get you access to all home events for Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Softball, and Baseball (Regions Field & Young Memorial). This card is not valid for Conference USA or NCAA Championship
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
Tickets for individual games can be purchased here. Tickets are $5 for adults or $3 for those 18 or younger.
UAB BASKETBALL AT BARTOW ARENA
UAB requires wearing a mask indoors – regardless of vaccine status – unless actively eating or drinking and encourages masks during outdoor events, alongside regular handwashing.
For more information on the UAB women’s basketball team, follow @UAB_WBBall on Twitter and Instagram.
