 "Photo: AP / Butch Dill")
Another top Conference USA team up, another top C-USA team down for The University of Memphis men's basketball team.
But it was hardly easy.
The Tigers (15-4, 4-1 C-USA) overcame an early deficit and raucous crowd to upend the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers, 76-73, in overtime behind 17 points and eight rebounds from freshman guard Will Barton.
The U of M withstood a 24-point, 11-rebound performance from UAB junior forward Cameron Moore. The Tigers countered with 28 points and nine rebounds from senior forward Will Coleman and freshman forward Tarik Black.
With 54 seconds left in regulation and the Tigers trailing by one, Barton drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put The U of M up two.
The Blazers answered, however, with two free throws on their next two possessions and held the Tigers scoreless for the remainder.
In the extra period, the Tiger defense stepped up.
UAB fell to just 20 percent from the field (2-of-10), and junior guard Jamarr Sanders, who had 15 points and five rebounds, went 0-for-3 – all 3-pointers – in overtime.
The Tigers finished the game 14-of-27 from the free throw line (52 percent).
Saturday's win is the Tigers' second straight on the road. They won on a last-second 3-pointer Wednesday, Jan. 19, 76-75, at Southern Miss.
The U of M is 2-2 away from home.
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