KENT, Ohio (AP)—Howard Crawford and Dexter Fields each scored 12 points and Alabama-Birmingham scored the final five points in a 55-52 victory over Samford on Sunday.
In the first men’s basketball meeting between the crosstown schools in 26 years, Samford led 52-50 before Fields hit a 3-pointer with 2:27 remaining in the game.
Elijah Millsap, who scored 10 points and led UAB (2-1) with nine rebounds, hit a layup with 34 seconds left for the final margin.
Samford (0-3), who lost all three games in the Hispanic College Fund Classic by a total of eight points, missed five shots from the field in the final 2:30.
The Bulldogs took a 51-50 lead on Josh Davis’ layup with 3:35 remaining in the game and Trey Montgomery, who led Samford with 17 points and seven rebounds, added a free throw with 2:53 remaining.
Bryan Friday added 13 points and Jeffrey Merritt scored 10 points for Samford.
