Posted on: Friday, December 24, 2004
UAB takes third in Rainbow Classic
| • | UH takes Classic title by beating USC, 72-68 |
| • | Hana hou! Nash puts on another strong showing |
| • | Ferd Lewis: Rainbows' bench had MVP week |
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Ronell Taylor scored 18 points to lead three teammates in double figures as Alabama at Birmingham defeated Oral Roberts, 84-77, for third place in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic yesterday.
Taylor sealed the game by scoring six of the Blazers' final seven points, including two thunderous dunks, in the last two minutes.
Luke Spencer-Gardner's 3-pointer pulled ORU to 81-77 with 55 seconds remaining, but the Golden Eagles would get no closer.
Marques Lewis scored 13 points, and Donell Taylor and Demario Eddins each had 10 for UAB (7-3). Caleb Green led ORU (8-2) with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Ken Tutt added 16 points, Spencer-Gardner 15 and Larry Owens 13 points and 15 rebounds.
UAB, which trailed 34-33 at halftime, opened the second half with six consecutive points. It started a 17-6 run that gave the Blazers a 50-40 lead they would not relinquish. Eddins scored six points during the surge.
UAB recycled 18 Oral Roberts turnovers into 26 points. The Blazers outrebounded the Golden Eagles 41-34, including 18-11 on the offensive glass, and outscored their ORU 18-11 on second-chance points.
Georgetown 75, Clemson 60
Brandon Bowman scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Georgetown defeated Clemson in the fifth-place game.
The Hoyas (6-3) opened the second half with a 13-1 run to take a 41-28 lead and control of the game. Georgetown hit two 3-pointers during the five-minute run while forcing Clemson into five missed shots and five turnovers.
The Tigers (8-3) closed to 41-32 on Sharrod Ford's basket with 14 minutes remaining, but could not get any closer.
Jeff Green added 15 points and 10 rebounds, Jonathan Wallace 13 points and Ashanti Cook 12 points for Georgetown. Ford led Clemson with 21 points and Vernon Hamilton added 13 off the bench.
Long Beach State 38, Indiana State 37 Shawn Hawkins' putback with 0.8 seconds remaining lifted Long Beach State over Indiana State in the seventh-place game.
Hawkins' shot under the basket came after Cody Pearson drove to the basket along the left baseline and missed.
After a time out, Indiana State could not get off a shot as both teams broke the 39-year-old tournament record of 41 for fewest points scored and set the record for the lowest scoring game in the tournament's 41-year history.
Hawkins led the 49ers (2-7) with 14 points while David Moss scored 10 for the Sycamores (5-6).
Indiana State took a 37-33 lead with 1:34 remaining on Moss' jumper from the free-throw line. Jibril Hodges hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 37-36 and the Sycamores turned the ball over on the next possession.
