UAB beats Marshall 81-78 to take 1st in Conference USA
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. (AP) Dirk Williams scored 16 points, Lee William added 15 and UAB beat Marshall 81-78 on Saturday to take sole possession of first place in Conference USA.
Nick Norton scored 14 points, Chris Cokley and Robert Brown added 13 apiece and Toshin Mehinti grabbed 10 rebounds for the Blazers (18-4, 8-1).
Trailing 40-32 at halftime, Marshall gained on a layup and dunk by Ryan Taylor to pull within 49-43, then trailed 56-54 after Taylor's jumper with 11:35 left.
UAB led 79-72 on Cokley's jumper with 2:56 left, but Marshall closed to within 79-78 on Taylor's 3-pointer with 47 seconds to go.
Brown missed a jumper with 15 seconds left, the referees reversed a call that would have given Marshall a final possession after the rebound, and Lee made two free throws to seal it.
James Kelly led Marshall (11-11, 7-2) with 28 points and 10 rebounds and Taylor added 21.
