Feb. 9, 2000

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Justin Love went 8-for-11 from the field and scored 26 points to lead Saint Louis to a 78-61 victory over UAB on Wednesday night.

Love was 4-for-4 from 3-point range and had eight rebounds for the Billikens (13-8, 5-4 Conference USA). It was the 15th time he led the team in scoring.

UAB (12-9, 5-5) only led once, 2-0 in the game's opening minute. The Blazers shot 38 percent from the field.

Saint Louis went ahead 21-8 as Love scored 10 of his 16 first-half points in the opening 10 minutes. The closest UAB got in the half was 21-15 with nine minutes remaining.

UAB then went scoreless for the next five minutes and Saint Louis stretched its lead to 27-15. The Blazers managed seven points over the last nine minutes of the half and Saint Louis led 38-22 at halftime.

The Blazers got several easy baskets as a result of turnovers and sliced the lead to 50-40 with 12 minutes left, but Love promptly made a 3-pointer to squelch the rally.

LeAndrew Bass led UAB with 19 points.

Saint Louis won despite committing 20 turnovers.