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  • Lendeborg And Coleman Lead The UAB Blazers Past Saint Joseph's In NIT Opener

Lendeborg And Coleman Lead The UAB Blazers Past Saint Joseph's In NIT Opener

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Basketball

UAB men's basketball (23-12) defeated Saint Joseph's (22-13) on the road by a score of 69-65. Yaxel Lendeborg had 16 points and 17 rebounds while Christian Coleman added 15 points and seven rebounds.

Both teams struggled from the field early with the score sitting at 4-2 after the first five minutes of the game.

The Blazers struggled with turnovers throughout the game and the Hawks took an early 14-9 lead at the 12:18 mark. The game remained within single-digits throughout as neither team was able to take control.

Saint Joseph's led for most of the first half until a Yaxel Lendeborg found Christian Coleman on a fastbreak for a dunk. Lendeborg's dunk on the next possession put the Blazers ahead 30-27 with 2:53 remaining in the first half.

The Hawks hit a pair of free throws with 40 seconds remaining to take a one-point lead into the locker room at 33-32.

Saint Joseph's jumped out to a seven-point lead early in the second half at the 16:25 mark as Finkley knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 44-37.

SJU's largest lead of the night came with 13:59 remaining on a putback layup from Xzayvier Brown to make it 49-41. The Blazers responded with a 7-0 run and forced a timeout with 10:30 to go.

Trailing 61-57 with four minutes remaining, the Blazers closed the game strong. UAB used a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the second half with 2:19 remaining on a Christian Coleman dunk. Coleman scored nine of 15 points in the second half to spark the comeback.

Another Coleman dunk with 1:25 remaining put the Blazers up by five and UAB was able to hang on for the 69-65 win after Ja'Borri McGhee hit a pair of free throws to ice it with two seconds left.

NOTES

  • Yaxel Lendeborg finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds for his 24th double-double of the season, which leads the nation.
  • Lendeborg moved into fifth in program history in blocks, passing Tosin Mehinti.
  • He also moved into sixth in program history in rebounds, passing Cameron Moore and Anthony Gordon.
  • Christian Coleman added 15 points and seven rebounds. His 15 points are his most since January 15 against South Florida.
  • UAB shot .368 from the field in the game, marking the Blazers' lowest field goal percentage in a win since December 29, 2022 vs. UTEP.

UP NEXT
The Blazers will travel to face Santa Clara in the second round of the NIT at a date and time TBD.