Balanced Effort Gives UAB MBB OT Win Over Drake

Friday, December 22

Birmingham, Ala.

2 p.m.

UAB

7-5,0-0AAC

Drake

11-2,2-0MVC

OT 1

Drake

UAB

Photo by: Sully Ortega

Balanced Effort Gives UAB MBB OT Win Over Drake

12/22/2023 6:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Presser

BIRMINGHAM – UAB men's basketball (7-5) had five different players finish in double figures as the Blazers picked up a 79-78 overtime win over Drake (11-2). The Blazers did not trail after the 14:50 mark in the second half.

The game remained close throughout the afternoon with neither team leading by more than seven points. Both UAB and Drake shot over 50 percent from the field in the first half in a back-and-forth affair.

The Bulldogs began to create some separation late in the first half, taking a 37-30 lead with 2:30 to go. However, the Blazers closed the half strong, particularly on the defensive end. UAB went on a 7-0 run over the final 2:30, scoring all seven points from the free throw line while holding Drake scoreless.

In the second half, UAB and Drake remained within one possession of each other for the first seven minutes until Christian Coleman went on a solo 6-0 run for the Blazers. UAB led 53-47 at the 11:11 mark for its largest lead of the night.

Drake battled back in the final minutes, but they could not get ahead of the Blazers while UAB could not put the Bulldogs away. Darnell Brodie got his layup to go to tie the game at 69-69 with 26 seconds to go. With the shot clock off, UAB drew up a play after the timeout and Eric Gaines found Daniel Ortiz in the corner for the go-ahead three with four seconds remaining. Drake was able to send the game to overtime as Tucker DeVries' three-point attempt hit the front of the rim, bounced off the backboard and fell through as time expired.

Javian Davis scored the first bucket of overtime at the 4:08 mark to give UAB the lead but it was quickly answered by Drake. Yaxel Lendeborg then knocked down the first three-pointer of his collegiate career to put UAB ahead at 77-74.

After a pair of Drake free throws, Daniel Ortiz hit a midrange jumper to push the lead back to three before two more free throws put the margin at one point with 35 seconds remaining.

UAB held on in the final moments and Yaxel Lendeborg grabbed the rebound and was fouled with less than one second to go.

NOTES

UAB had seven different players contribute at least eight points while five players scored at least 10 points.
Javian Davis added 15 points while shooting 7-for-8 from the free throw line while playing a career high 40 minutes.
Yaxel Lendeborg added 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds while dishing out three assists.
Eric Gaines did a little bit of everything for the Blazers despite struggling from the field, scoring nine points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out nine assists. Gaines is averaging 9.0 assists per game over the last three games.
Daniel Ortiz scored in double figures for the third straight game while shooting 4-for-5 from the field.
Tony Toney added 10 points while shooting 2-for-3 from three and had two steals on the defensive end.

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