BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The bittersweet moment and private conversation happened right after UAB beat No. 16 North Carolina 63-59, giving second-year head coach Jerod Haase his signature win and the Blazers its first win over a ranked school in four years.
"Jerod Haase is one of the nicest young men I've ever known in my life and one of the best competitors I know," Williams said. "He got his team to compete a heck of a lot harder than I got mine."
The last time UAB beat a ranked team was on Dec. 16, 2009 against No. 16 Butler. Sunday, UAB trailed just once at 4-2, but led 12-6 just five minutes into the game after Jordan Swing's dunk ignited an announced crowd of 8,313.
Chad Frazier, UAB's junior point guard who is from Charlotte, N.C., ignited the Blazers with 18 of his game-high 25 points in the first half. His 3-pointer to beat the shot clock over the outstretched arms of 6-foot-7 Jackson Simmons gave UAB a 29-18 lead. The Blazers led 37-25 at halftime.
But UNC came storming back as UAB shot just 21.9 percent in the second half. The Tar Heels cut it to two before Rod Rucker converted on a drive, was fouled, and hit the free throw with 2:17 left to give UAB a 57-52 lead.
Marcus Paige converted a 3-point play with 45 seconds left to bring UNC within one, but Frazier hit two free throws with 36 second left. With seven seconds left and UNC down three, Robert Williams and Fahro Alihodzic were there on a block of Paige on a 3-point attempt. Swing got the ball, was fouled and hit two free throws to put UAB up five.
Robert Williams, who was redshirting when UAB beat Butler, called this the top moment of his career. He said last week's tournament at Charleston, where UAB went 1-2 and blew a late lead against a ranked New Mexico team in the opener, prepared the Blazers for this game.
UAB rebounded the next morning with a win over Nebraska before closing the tournament with a loss to Temple. But Robert Williams and the Blazers were determined to not let this game go like the New Mexico game, where the Lobos hit 3-pointers at the end of regulation and the first overtime to tie the game before winning in double overtime.
"Almost wasn't good enough this time," Robert Williams said. "We had to pull it out."
Rod Rucker scored 11 to join Frazier in double figures. For UNC, J.P. Tokoto scored 16 and Paige scored 13.
"I think it's a step in the right direction," Haase said. "If we'd have lost today, it would have been a tough loss and we'd have moved forward. This season and this program is going to be a journey that hopefully trends up.
"It's a great win, an important win, an exciting win. It's not a season-defining win, not a career-defining win, not a university-defining win, but it's a nice deal that can show where we're headed as a program."
But it was also a tear-jerker. Thankfully for Haase and UAB, a good one.
"It was emotional," Haase said. "It is emotional. For him to do that (play UAB in Bartow Arena) for me and this program, it just speaks volumes."
UAB 63, No. 16 NORTH CAROLINA 59
NORTH CAROLINA (4-2)
Britt 0-3 0-0 0, Paige 6-16 1-1 13, Tokoto 7-11 1-2 16, James 2-3 0-0 4, McAdoo 3-13 0-3 6, Meeks 3-5 1-2 7, Davis 1-2 0-0 2, Johnson 4-7 0-0 8, Hubert 0-0 0-1 0, Simmons 1-2 0-0 2, Hicks 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 27-63 4-11 59.<
UAB (6-2)
Frazier 5-13 12-14 25, Alihodzic 3-8 2-2 8, Washington 3-12 0-0 6, Rucker 4-13 3-4 11, Swing 2-8 3-4 7, Watts 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 0-5 2-4 2, Mehinti 2-2 0-0 4, Purifoy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-62 22-28 63.<
Halftime_UAB 37-25. 3-Point Goals_North Carolina 1-12 (Tokoto 1-1, Davis 0-1, Britt 0-1, McAdoo 0-3, Paige 0-6), UAB 3-12 (Frazier 3-5, Purifoy 0-1, Washington 0-1, Williams 0-2, Swing 0-3). Fouled Out_Britt. Rebounds_North Carolina 37 (Johnson 7), UAB 52 (Alihodzic 13). Assists_North Carolina 10 (Paige 5), UAB 7 (Frazier 3). Total Fouls_North Carolina 19, UAB 14. A_8,313.