No. 23 Middle Tennessee rallies to beat UAB 68-58

Mar 1, 2014, 06:09 pm

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Ebony Rowe, kept in check most of the game, scored nine-straight points in a late 12-0 run and finished with 22 as No. 23 Middle Tennessee rallied to defeat Alabama-Birmingham 68-58 on Saturday.

Their seventh-straight win gave the Blue Riders (25-4, 14-1) their sixth-straight Conference USA title outright. KeKe Stewart added 15 points and Shanice Cason 12.

Behind Karisma Chapman, the Blazers (15-12, 7-7) led until Rowe took over. Chapman had 15 points and 13 rebounds but her only bucket of the second half came with 14:05 to play. Chelsee Black led UAB with 16 points.

Middle Tennessee, down by 11 with 11:30 to play, was behind 53-49 at the 4:33 mark before the critical surge. Rowe had a three-point play, two free throws and two layups with Cason capping the run with a 3 with 1:35 left.

The Blue Raiders needed the hot finish to shoot 41 percent.