Lady Pirates Fall To UAB In OT, 84-77

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jasmine Young and LaCoya Terry combined for 47 points, but it was not enough, as UAB battled to defeat the Lady Pirates 84-77 in overtime Thursday evening at Bartow Arena.  With the loss, ECU falls to 6-9, 0-2 in Conference USA play while the Blazers improve to 6-9, 2-0 in league play.  Gabriela Husarova notched 11 points and 12 rebounds for her first career double-double while Young had 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, falling two boards shy of a triple-double.

The Blazers jumped out to the early 9-6 lead, as Crystal McFadden hit a jumper with 15:33 on the clock.  Gabriela Husarova's second straight basket sparked an 8-0 run, giving the Lady Pirates the 14-9 advantage at the 12:53 mark.  UAB put together a 6-0 spurt, with back to back jumpers by Diamond Rogers, retaking the lead, 15-14, with 11:21 remaining in the half.  Husarova connect on a shot from behind the arc to put ECU back on top, 17-15, but the Blazers responded with a three of their own, taking the 20-18 lead with 9:05 to play.  The Lady Pirates went up 22-20 on a Tiahana Bowens layup and increased their lead to 24-21 on a pair of Terry free throws with eight minutes to play.  Terry hit a three-pointer with 3:32 on the clock to give East Carolina the 31-26 lead, and would take a 35-33 advantage into the break. 

The Lady Pirates opened the second half on an 11-3 run, increasing their lead to 10, 46-36, with 16:29 remaining in regulation. UAB responded, as Amanda Peterson scored five straight points, including a three-pointer, to spark a 13-4 run, cutting the ECU lead down to one, 50-49, with 10:50 on the clock. Nicole Days' basket put ECU back up by three, but a Peterson trey tied the game at 52 a-piece.  The two teams traded baskets and the lead over the next six minutes, with a pair of Rogers free throws giving the Blazers the 65-62 lead with 2:57 to play in the period.  Husarova's jumper with 1:05 on the clock gave the Lady Pirates the 66-65 advantage, but Amanda Scott put the Blazers up one, 67-66 with a minute to play.  After Terry connected on a pair of free throws with 38.2 seconds to play to give ECU the one point, 68-67 lead, Rogers was fouled with 28 seconds left and hit the second of two shots to tie the contest.  East Carolina had a shot at the end of regulation to win, but it would not fall, sending the game to overtime.

ECU scored first in overtime, as Days hit a free throw to take the one point, 69-68, lead with 4:23 remaining in the contest.  Peterson connected on her second trey of the game to give the Blazers the 71-69 advantage, but a Days bucket quickly tied the game again, this time at 71-all with 3:50 on the clock.  UAB went on a 7-0 run, holding ECU scoreless for nearly three minutes, holding on to the 78-71 lead with under a minute to play.  A three-point play by Young pulled the Lady Pirates within four, 78-74, but UAB answered with four straight free throws, extending their lead back out to eight, 83-74, with 25.9 seconds remaining. Young hit a three-pointer with 17.5 seconds to play to cut the lead back down to five, but it was not enough, as the Blazers sealed the game with a pair of late free throws. 

Terry led all scorers with 26 points, adding seven rebounds.  Young finished with 21 points and ten assists, while Days had 13 and Husarova chipped in 11.  Rogers led the Blazers with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Peterson and McFadden each added 16 and Scott and Britney Jones had 12 a piece. 

The Lady Pirates will wrap up their seven game road swing Saturday as they travel to Memphis for a 2:00 p.m. tip.