Sims, Green help Middle Tennessee beat UAB, snap road skid

Feb 3, 2019, 03:27 am

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Antonio Green hit six 3-pointers and finished with 28 points and Donovan Sims scored 23, including two free throws with 1.3 seconds left, to help Middle Tennessee beat UAB 79-78 on Saturday night and snap a nine-game road losing streak.

Sims, who hit three 3-pointers and 6-of-8 shooting overall, had seven rebounds and six assists. Reggie Scurry added 17 points and 10 rebounds for Middle Tennessee (7-16, 4-6 Conference USA). The Blue Raiders, who beat UAB 71-65 at home last Wednesday, have won four of their last six following a 13-game skid.

Middle Tennessee used an 8-0 run to take a four-point lead, its first since 12-11, with 5:40 to play and there were three ties and six lead changes from there. Sims hit a falling, NBA-range 3 to make it 73-all with 90 seconds left and, after Lewis Sullivan answered with a straight-away trey, Reggie Scurry and James Hawthorne made back-to-back jumpers to give the Blue Raiders a one-point lead when UAB called timeout with 10.9 seconds remaining. Jalen Perry hit a jumper from the left wing with 4.3 seconds left but Sims was fouled and hit two free throws with 1.3 seconds to go. Zack Bryant missed a potential winning heave from beyond half court.

Bryant had 25 points, six assists and four steals for UAB (14-9, 6-4).