WKU Women’s Basketball (18-12, C-USA 14-6) advanced to the semi-finals of the Conference USA tournament defeating the UAB Blazers (14-17, C-USA 5-15) 71-67 Thursday, March 9 at The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.

Sophomore forward Jaylin Foster played great against the Blazers. Foster had 14 points and gathered eight rebounds.

Freshman guard Acacia Hayes also played well. She dropped 14 points and led the team in assists with four. 

Both teams battled closely throughout the first quarter. WKU jumped out to a 5-0 lead early, however the Blazers countered. UAB outscored the Lady Toppers 13-6 in the next four minutes and went up 13-11 at the five minute mark. 

The offenses slowed down late in the first quarter. A bucket from Junior guard Teresa Faustino put WKU on top 19-18, at the end of the first. 

WKU and UAB continued to stay close in the second quarter. UAB scored the first bucket of the period, taking a one point lead. WKU answered with a 10-5 run to go up four, 29-25. 

The four point lead was short lived as a couple of trips to the line for UAB tied the game up at 29. WKU went on a late 5-2 run taking a three point lead into halftime, 34-31. 

WKU began to separate themselves from the Blazers in the third. UAB scored the first four points of the quarter to go up one. However, the Lady Toppers scored seven of the next nine to go up four, 41-37. 

UAB cut their deficit back within two, but the Lady Toppers outscored the Blazers 7-0 in the final three minutes of the quarter. WKU took a 53-44 lead into the final period of play. 

UAB clawed their way back into the game in the fourth. The Blazers went on a 17-8 run to start the period, tying the game at 61. 

A pair of threes from the Lady Toppers put the Blazers in a late six point hole, 67-61. UAB brought the game back within one with 10 seconds to go, but WKU hit 3-4 from the line, winning the game 71-67.

WKU will play the Rice Owls in the semi-final game of the C-USA tournament Friday, March 10 at The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas.

Sports reporter Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].