Taz Sherman scored 17 points, including a crucial late-game 3-point basket, as West Virginia rallied to defeat UAB 65-59 on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
Scoring was difficult for both teams, but the Mountaineers (10-1) turned it on in time.
UAB (9-3) went about 7 1/2 minutes down the stretch without a field goal.
Sean McNeil notched 12 points for West Virginia, which has won seven games in a row.
Jordan Walker posted 13 points, KJ Buffen had 11 points, and Trey Jemison added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers.
This matchup was part of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Basketball Classic and was contested at recently renovated Legacy Arena downtown and not on UAB’s campus. UAB coach Andy Kennedy is a former assistant under West Virginia coach Bob Huggins when they were both at Cincinnati.
The Blazers were up 51-42 with eight minutes remaining before the game tightened. The Mountaineers moved ahead 55-54 on two McNeil free throws with 2:38 to play.
Sherman’s 3-pointer stretched the gap. It was just the second successful 3-pointer in 13 attempts for West Virginia.
The Mountaineers pushed the margin to 61-55 before Walker’s basket for UAB broke the team’s long field-goal drought with 26 seconds left.
Meanwhile, Sherman and Kedrian Johnson combined to make seven of eight free throws for West Virginia in the final 54 seconds.
Until the last minute, the Mountaineers were only 10-for-19 on free throws. Johnson scored seven of his nine points on foul shots.
Both teams seemed unable to put together offensive flow. UAB, which shot 40 percent from the field, committed 15 turnovers and West Virginia had 14 turnovers.
West Virginia had only six assists on 23 baskets.
UAB ended up 4-for-21 on 3-point attempts. Sherman made both of West Virginia’s 3s.
UAB led 29-26 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
