Benjamin’s 3-Pointer Lifts UAB Over Mount St. Mary’s 58-51

Wednesday, November 20

Bartow Arena

7:00 PM

UAB

Mount St. Mary's

Benjamin’s 3-Pointer Lifts UAB Over Mount St. Mary’s 58-51

11/20/2019 10:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM – Jalen Benjamin scored the final seven points of the game including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:45 remaining to give UAB a 58-51 victory over Mount St. Mary's on Wednesday night in the second game of the BBN Showcase at Bartow Arena.

Benjamin finished with team-high 14 points. Tavin Lovan scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and Will Butler just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes for the Blazers (3-1).

Jalen Gibbs scored a game-high 15 points for The Mount (1-4).

UAB scored the first eight points of the game and held the Mountaineers scoreless until the 14:30 mark of the 1^st half. MSM answered with a 11-2 run to take its first lead of the game on Nana Opoku's 3-pointer. The lead would exchange hands twice before Luis Hurtado made his season debut by draining a 3-pointer at the 9:29 mark to put UAB ahead 15-13. Four more lead changes would happen before UAB took a 27-25 lead into halftime.

The Mount scored the first six points of the 2^nd half and would hold the lead until back-to-back baskets by Lovan and Kassim Nicholson put UAB up 39-37 with 10:44 remaining. Gibbs would hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and Damian Chong Qui would follow to give the Mountaineers a four point lead at 43-39.

A pair of Antonio Ralat free throws at 8:58 started a 10-0 run for the Blazers over the next 2:29, capped by Tyreek Scott-Grayson's layup that made the score 49-43 with 6:29 left. However, MSM would chip away and tie the game on a pair of Chong Qui jumpers – the later at 3:12 that made the score 51-51.

Butler grabbed a crucial rebound off a MSM 3-point attempt on the possession before Benjamin's game-winner. The Blazers forced a turnover on the Mount's next possession. Benjamin added insurance by making four free throws in the final 29 seconds.

"I thought it was a gutsy win for our team," said head coach Robert Ehsan. "We played good defense and we executed down the stretch. We really played together I thought and I'm just really proud of the effort. We have to get better on offense, but I thought the effort was very good."

"We fed off the crowd. There was emotion and energy to us tonight that we haven't had since the Troy game. I thought that was the difference," added Ehsan. "Makhtar Gueye, Tamell Pearson, Kassim, Will, and Tavin are big guys and they have great offensive rebounding instincts. It is going to be a huge advantage for us."

UAB had a season-high 18 offensive boards and out rebounded the Mount 43-29. The Mount only got to the free throw line once.

The next home game is also part of the BBN Showcase. UAB hosts Lamar on Nov. 26 with a 7 p.m. tipoff. The event wraps up in Lexington when UAB travels to Kentucky on Nov. 29.

Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or by calling the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at 205-975-UAB1. Fans can also request more information on ticket options for the upcoming season here. Discounted group tickets and fan experiences are available for a minimum purchase of 20 tickets. To inquire about group tickets for the 2019-20 season, please contact Chris Curtis at (205) 934-3172 or ccurtis2@uab.edu.