Hailey Jackson scores 34 in 25 minutes as UAB pulls away from South Alabama

UAB women's basketball coach Randy Norton recruited Hailey Jackson to Birmingham to be a difference maker. Through two games, the transfer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas has been exactly that. In two quarters of UAB's 73-59 win over in-state rival South Alabama on Saturday, she showed just what that difference can be.

Jackson scored 34 points in 25 minutes on 9-of-15 shooting and 15-of-17 from the free-throw line. She picked up two fouls in the first quarter, exited at the 3:20 mark and did not return until the second half. In the six-plus minutes she played in the first quarter, UAB outscored South Alabama 16-8. In the full second quarter without her, South Alabama outscored UAB 20-11 and took a 28-27 halftime lead.

Jackson came back for the third quarter and scored back-to-back layups to push UAB ahead 33-32.

Terren Coffil answered. She scored 11 points in the quarter on two three-pointers, a layup and three free throws, and South Alabama rebuilt its lead to 45-37 with 4:56 left in the third. Jackson closed the quarter with two jumpers and four straight free throws — the last two with six seconds left — to give UAB a 46-45 lead into the fourth. She scored 14 of her 34 in the third quarter alone.

The fourth quarter was a clinic. Ashley Garner opened it with a layup and a jumper. Jackson made a layup, drew a foul, converted both free throws and drilled a 20-footer to push it to 56-49. UAB outscored South Alabama 27-14 in the period and the lead reached 14.

Through two games, Jackson has scored 63 points on 21-of-32 shooting — 29 against Fisk on Wednesday and 34 against South Alabama on Saturday. She is averaging 31.5 points on 65.6% shooting. Norton recruited her from Hutchinson Community College as a first-team JUCO All-American. She is playing like one.

Beyond Jackson

Norton told his team after the Fisk game to defend, rebound and get into the paint. UAB outrebounded South Alabama 46-26 — a plus-20 margin that suggests the message is landing. Garner had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting with seven rebounds and a block. Eleecia Carter added 10 points and six rebounds.

The turnovers are a problem. UAB committed 18 — the same number they had against Fisk. Viktoria Ranisavljevic, who ran the offense with eight assists in the opener, had three assists and four turnovers against South Alabama. The bench scored two points.

CJ Wilson led South Alabama with 19 points. Coffil had 13, 11 of them in the third quarter. Julieta Ceja added 14.