Women's Hoops Loses To UAB, 80-61
11/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2001
UAB women's basketball coach Jeannie Milling got her 400th career win, 80-61 over Wake Forest, thanks mostly to the efforts of Deanna Jackson and Natasha Thomas, who combined for 61 points and 27 rebounds.
The Lady Blazers are now 3-1. Wake Forest fell to 2-1.
Milling is now 400-287 in her 25th year as a collegiate head coach. She is 239-178 in her 15th year at UAB.
"It's wonderful to get the milestone because it makes you remember all the great players and the wonderful assistant coaches that have been with you, " Milling said. "It's because of them I am able to reach this. I accept this for all the players and coaches I have worked with.
"I especially want to thank my two sons who have put up with this since they were six and two and my youngest was here tonight."
Jackson led UAB with 31 points and had 12 rebounds. The first rebound of the game gave her 1,000 for her career. She now has 1,111. Thomas scored 30 points and had 15 rebounds. In addition Thomas dished out eight assists and Jackson had six. At one point they had combined for 46 of the 52 points UAB had scored.
The two combined to make 24-of-33 shots from the field. Thomas made 12-of-14 shots from the field and Jackson made 12-of-19. That shooting helped the Lady Blazers make 53 percent from the field.
"They are two great players," Milling said. "It is so much fun and exciting to see them play like that. I am worried about our guards not getting involved. The real impressive thing about Deanna and Natasha is they combined for 14 assists, proving their unselfishness."
Forward Michelle Smith added nine points and Lia Green came off the bench for two points. That meant UAB's frontcourt players scored 72 of the 80 points.
Eafton Hill led Wake Forest with 17 points and LaChina Brown added 11 with eight rebounds. The Demon Deacons shot just 40 percent from the field. UAB outrebounded Wake Forest 43-31.
The Demon Deacons led 23-19 with 7:47 remaining in the first half and still had a 28-25 lead with 4:09 remaining. UAB went on a 12-0 run to take a 37-30 lead at intermission.
Wake Forest's Eafton Hill made the first basket of the second half to cut the margin to 37-32, but the Blazers scored the next eight points to stretch the lead to 13 at 45-32. The Demon Deacons never got closer than 11 points.
UAB hosts Mississippi State, Thursday, Nov. 29 at Bartow Arena at 7 p.m. Wake Forest hosts Connecticut Monday at 7 p.m. EST.