Rice University
11-8, 2-2
UAB
6-11, 1-3
UAB Downs Rice in Overtime, 61-60
1/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2012
Final Stats
2012-0118-UAB v Rice Game Book 
HOUSTON - UAB's Robert Williams connected on a three-pointer to beat the final horn in overtime and give the Blazers a 61-60 win over Rice Wednesday in Tudor Fieldhouse.
Williams' trey came after Rice's Connor Frizzelle had put Rice up 60-58 with a three-pointer from the top of the key with 7.8 seconds remaining. Just last Saturday Frizzelle had knocked down a buzzer-beater of his own at Tulane to give Rice a 50-49 road win.
But Wednesday it was UAB which overcame as much as a 17-point deficit early in the second half to pick up its first conference win. The Blazers improved to 6-11 and 1-3. Rice is now 11-8 and 2-2 heading into Saturday's home game against Tulsa.
Rice made just 6-of-24 shots from the field in the second half.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Preston Purifoy got the Owls' lead down to a single digit, 39-31 with 14:57 to play. Cameron Moore gave UAB its first lead of the second half and capped an 11-0 run when he scored on a jumper down low. Moore's basket, his second straight, gave the Blazers a 48-47 lead with 5:13 to play.
Only seven combined points would be scored in the final five minutes of regulation. UAB's last point of regulation came with 2:58 to play when Moore made the second of two free throw attempts.
The Blazers turned the ball over three times in the final minutes, the third leading to a steal and fastbreak layup by Dylan Ennis which tied the game at 51-51 with 36 seconds to play.
UAB would get one final offensive series in regulation but Ahmad Ibrahim closed out the possession, stealing the ball from Jordan Swing as the shot clock expired. Frizzelle's three-point attempt rattled away at the end of the second half.
The Blazers led by as many as four points in overtime but Frizzelle nailed a three-pointer with 3:24 to play and gave the Owls a 56-55 lead with a jumper at the 2:06 mark.
Moore made one-of-two free throws with 52 seconds to play to tie the score, 56-56.
Ennis converted on one-of-two shots at the line for the Owls before Moore's two free gave UAB a 58-57 lead and setting up the wild finish.
Moore led all scorers with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Purifoy added 18 points for the Blazers. Williams' game-winning shot was his only three-point attempt of the game.
Frizzelle led Rice with 17 points while Ennis finished with 13 and had five rebounds.
For the game, Rice shot 38 percent from the field while the Blazers made 46 percent of their shots. UAB also outrebounded Rice 36-29 and scored 15, second-chance points.
