NCAA News Wire
UAB 75, Old Dominion 66
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Old Dominion guard Aaron Bacote and UAB guard Chad Frazier had strikingly similar numbers heading into Thursday night’s Conference USA matchup at Bartow Arena. On Thursday, however, Frazier was decidedly better in the Blazers’ 75-66 victory over the Monarchs.
Frazier led UAB with 27 points, which was considerably more than his season average of 17.7 points per game. He hit four 3-pointers and added four assists and a rebound.
Bacote, who averages 17.5 points per game, struggled from the outset, scoring eight points on 4-of-17 shooting from the field. Bacote, an 80 percent free throw shooter, missed both free throw attempts and all four of his 3-point attempts.
At one point in the second half, after a 17-foot jumper rolled in and out, Bacote looked to the bench with a frustrated look, shook his head and held his palms upward. It was just one of those nights for the talented sophomore.
That’s not all that went wrong for the Monarchs (10-11 overall, 4-2 C-USA) on a night where UAB (14-6, 3-3) led for all but 46 seconds. ODU shot just 34.8 percent from the field and had trouble keeping the Blazers from getting quality shots.
The Monarchs managed to hang in despite falling behind by as many as 19 points in the second half. Old Dominion guard Ambrose Mosley, who had three second-half 3-pointers, finished with 16 points and guard Dimitri Batten had a team-best 18 points.
UAB was in control for most of the first half, with Frazier and forward C.J. Washington combining for 25 points. The Blazers led by 11 points twice in the first half, including a 35-24 advantage at halftime.
The Monarchs had difficulty getting into an offensive flow in the first half, shooting 31.3 percent from the field. Bacote made just 2-of-10 shots from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts in the first 20 minutes.
Old Dominion guard Dimitri Batten had a team-high seven points and also a team-leading five rebounds in the first half.
UAB outrebounded the Monarchs 25-18 in the first half and had seven second-chance points on seven offensive rebounds.
Notes: UAB has an 11-1 record at Bartow Arena. The lone loss at home this season came on January 18, when UTEP knocked off the Blazers 63-61. … Old Dominion and UAB were playing as fellow C-USA members for the first time. However, they are long-time rivals from the days they both were Sun Belt members. The teams played four overtime games during that time and met in the Sun Belt finals in 1984. … Free pizza was provided for all UAB students in attendance. Class was cancelled from Tuesday morning through Thursday night because of snow.
