BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Mississippi College opened up exhibition play Tuesday evening on the road against 2022 NCAA Tournament team UAB, falling by a final of 98-47.

The Choctaw opened up the contest with a layup in the paint by Paul Smith before the Blazers would go onto a 14-0 run to make it 16-2 with 13:25 in the first half. 

MC went on a 6-0 run of their own over the next four minutes of action with two layups by Justin Reid and Paul Smith to cut to Blazer lead to 16-8.

UAB outscored MC 26-8 in the final minutes of the first half as UAB took a 42-16 lead in the break inside Bartow Arena. 

Smith led the Choctaw with six points with Reid second in points with four at the intermission. 

In the second half, Mississippi College put up 31 points in 20 minutes but it was the Blazers that pulled away with the 98-47 win on Tuesday night in Birmingham.

Anthony Ratliff Jr. tallied eight points on 3-of-12 shooting from the floor. Ratliff also led the team with seven rebounds in the contest.

Bee McCrary led MC with 11 points in the game while also providing four rebounds defensively. Paul Smith finished with six points in 15 minutes of action.

MC returns to action on Saturday at home for exhibition play versus Millsaps. The two tip-off beginning at 2 p.m. at A.E. Wood Coliseum in Clinton, Miss.