Walker's Career Performance Lifts UAB to 83-76 Win at Louisiana Tech

Saturday, January 22

Ruston, La.

3 p.m.

UAB

-164,61 CUSA

Louisiana Tech

-154,61 CUSA

UAB

Louisiana Tech

Photo by: Sadie Patton (LA Tech)

Walker's Career Performance Lifts UAB to 83-76 Win at Louisiana Tech

1/22/2022 6:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

RUSTON, La. – Whenever the Blazers needed him most, Jordan Walker delivered. And then delivered again. And again.

Walker finished with a career-high 36 points and tied a UAB (16-4, 6-1 C-USA) school record with nine 3-pointers made in an 83-76 victory at Louisiana Tech on Saturday in the Thomas Assembly Center. The win snapped an 18-game winning streak for the Bulldogs in their home arena and marked UAB's first-ever win in Ruston.

Saturday's win also moved the Blazers into a tie for first place in Conference USA's West Division, handing Louisiana Tech its first league loss of the season.

After Louisiana Tech (15-4, 6-1 C-USA) took its first lead of the game behind a pair of free throws from Kaleb Stewart and a baseline jumper from Kenny Hunter, Walker drilled one of his nine 3-pointers to knot the game at 50-50 with 12:45 remaining in the second half.

KJ Buffen, who finished the game with his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds, then put the Blazers in the lead for good with a jumper in the paint. Walker's 3-pointer sparked an 18-5 UAB run, turning a 50-47 deficit into a 65-55 lead with 8:06 remaining in the game.

LA Tech trimmed UAB's lead down to three at 76-73 behind a 3-pointer from Amorie Archibald, who poured in a team-high 27 points with seven made 3-pointers. Once again, Walker answered Archibald's triple to stretch UAB's lead back to six at 79-73 with 1:50 remaining.

Clutch free throw shooting from Walker helped the Blazers close out Saturday's game in the final minute. After LA Tech cut UAB's lead to three points again with 41 seconds left, Walker sealed the Blazers' triumph behind four free throws in the final 35 seconds.

Walker went 9-of-10 from the line in the victory as UAB went 21-of-24 (.875) from the foul line in the win. The percentage from the charity stripe was UAB's best percentage this season.

"I thought our approach out of the gate was outstanding," head coach Andy Kennedy said. "We took complete control of the game.

"We led this thing for 38 minutes despite some tenuous moments down the stretch. Jelly Walker, what can you say? Time and time and time again, he rose up and made nine 3s. Tremendous effort and great win on the road."

UAB erupted for the game's first seven points in Saturday's road victory, opening the contest on a 13-2 run behind buckets from Walker, Buffen, Tavin Lovan and Quan Jackson. The Bulldogs countered with a run of their own, cutting their early deficit to three points at 20-17 when Archibald knocked down a 3-pointer.

Archibald helped keep the Bulldogs within striking distance throughout the first 20 minutes, drilling six 3-pointers to lead all players with 18 points at the break. He nailed his sixth triple as time expired in the first half, making it a 41-33 game at halftime.

UAB finished the game 12-of-24 from behind the 3-point line, marking the fifth time this season the Blazers have finished 50% or better from behind the arc.

Walker's 36 points tied a Thomas Assembly Center record, while his nine 3-pointers set a new Thomas Assembly Center record. The Port Washington, New York native has now set career highs in scoring in back-to-back games after pouring in a then season-high 27 points in a win over Florida Atlantic in Bartow Arena on Jan. 15.

"AK [Andy Kennedy] said great teams protect their home court, but the best teams in the country win on the road," Walker said.

Jackson (14), Buffen (11) and Lovan (10) rounded out the Blazers in double figures. LA Tech's Kenneth Lofton, Jr. finished the game with a double-double, scoring 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds.

UAB will continue its road stretch on Thursday when the Blazers battle WKU in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Thursday's game is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will stream live on CBS Sports Network.

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