Sullivan, Lovan spark UAB past UTEP 76-63 with big 2nd half

Jan 18, 2019, 04:40 am

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Lewis Sullivan scored 18 points with 10 rebounds and Tavin Lovan threw down a powerful tomahawk dunk that gave UAB the lead for good, defeating UTEP 76-63 Thursday night.

The freshman Lovan finished with 14 points -- all after halftime- for UAB (11-7, 3-2 Conference USA), which won for the fourth straight time at home. Zack Bryant also scored 14 points and Tyreek Scott-Grayson added 10.

Evan Gilyard scored 25 points, Nigel Hawkins added 17 with five 3-pointers for UTEP (6-10, 1-4). Efe Odigie pitched in 10 points and 10 rebounds, the freshman's seventh double-double.

The Blazers trailed 32-29 at the break, but Sullivan hit a jump shot and Lovan a fastbreak layup for a 33-32 lead less than a minute into the second half. Lovan's dunk put UAB ahead 39-36 with 13:32 remaining. UAB's 47 second-half points were a season best.

The win sets up a Saturday clash with UTSA, also 4-1 in C-USA.

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Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com