Kent, OH -- (Sports Network) - Howard Crawford scored 12 points to lead the UAB Blazers to a 55-52 win over the Samford Bulldogs as part of the 2009 Hispanic College Fund Classic at Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.

Dexter Fields also added 12 points for the Blazers (2-1), while Elijah Millsap chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Bulldogs (0-3) were paced by Trey Montgomery who scored a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. Bryan Friday netted 13 points, while Jeffrey Merritt checked in with 10 before fouling out.

Samford got off to a fast start, shooting 52 percent from the floor in the first half, to take a 30-23 lead at the break.

Trailing by as many as 10 points, UAB stormed back in the second stanza by knocking down 11-of-23 shots from the floor, en route to the three-point victory.

Three-point shooting proved to be the difference in the contest, as the Blazers shot 8-of-20 from long range, while limiting the Bulldogs to a miserable 4-of-26 performance beyond the arc.