Recap: UAB vs. UCLA
Nassau, Bahamas (SportsNetwork.com) - Isaac Hamilton made 5-of-9 shots from beyond the arc and scored 21 points to lead No. 22 UCLA to an 88-76 win over UAB in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Hamilton made five of the Bruins' (5-2) seven 3-pointers as the team struggled from the field with a 31.8 percentage from long range.
Bryce Alford added 14 points, including 11 from the free throw line, and six assists. Norman Powell contributed 17 points and Kevin Looney had 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Blazers' (2-5) only lead of the game came less than a minute into the game when Nick Norton hit a 3-point shot to put UAB ahead 3-2. Hamilton scored five points in a 9-0 UCLA run that got the lead back.
Norton shot 5-of-8 from long range on his way to 17 points, tied for the UAB lead for the game with C.J. Washington. Washington's eight rebounds led the Blazers.
Lewis Sullivan and Chris Cokley each chipped in 13 for UAB off the bench. The Blazers reserves outscored UCLA's 40-15.
UCLA used its athleticism to enjoy a healthy 17-2 advantage on the fastbreak.
With 6:37 remaining in the game, a pair of Alford free throws gave the Bruins a 21-point lead, but that's when the Blazers embarked on a late charge to cut into their deficit.
Their 12-1 run pulled them within 10, the closest they would get. Sullivan scored six points during the run, but UAB shot just 1-of-3 from the field in the final 3:26.
UCLA's high-water mark in the first half was 20 points with 3:15 remaining before the break. To reach that point, Thomas Welsh scored four points in an 11-0 Bruins run. UCLA maintained a steady lead and held a 49-33 advantage at the half.