The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Friday, March 22
Spokane, Wash.
12:45 p.m.
UAB
vs
No. 5 San Diego State
UAB Men’s Basketball Faces San Diego State in First Round of NCAA Tournament
3/21/2024 2:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM – No. 12 UAB men's basketball (23-11) will take on No. 5 San Diego State on Friday in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Tipoff is set for 12:45 p.m. CT.
WATCH
Friday's game will air on TNT with Lisa Byington, Steve Smith, Robbie Hummel and Lauren Shehadi on the call.
LISTEN
David Crane and Mo Finley will call the game for the Blazers on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2.
WESTWOOD ONE
The game will be available nationally with Ryan Radtke and Dan Dickau on the call for Westwood One.
SERIES HISTORY
The Blazers won the only meeting between the two programs during the 1989-90 season when UAB head coach Andy Kennedy was a player. Kennedy scored 27 points in the win.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blazers captured the American Conference Tournament title on Sunday with an 85-69 win over Temple. Alejandro Vasquez scored a career high 29 points while Eric Gaines added 15 points, six rebounds, nine assists, five steals and three blocks.
LENDEBORG NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, FIRST TEAM ALL-AAC
After a standout debut season in Birmingham, forward Yaxel Lendeborg was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Lendeborg is UAB's first Conference Defensive Player of the Year since William Lee in 2016-17 and he joins Squeaky Johnson and Cameron Moore as the only Blazers to earn first team All-Conference and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.
MOST WINS OVER FOUR SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
With the Blazers' win over East Carolina on January 20, 2024, Andy Kennedy earned his 90th win at UAB, which is the most by a UAB coach over his first four seasons. Mike Anderson previously held the record with 89 wins from 2002-06. Additionally, Kennedy's tenure marks the most wins over any four-year period at UAB, surpassing 1983-87 under Gene Bartow. Kennedy reached 100 wins in Birmingham faster than any coach in program history, doing so in only 136 games.
STEPPING UP
Highlight-reel plays marked Eric Gaines' first season in Birmingham with two SportsCenter Top Ten appearances and numerous high-flying dunks. After averaging 11.5 points and 4.3 assists per game, Gaines has played an even larger role this year as the only returning player to average double-digit points per game last season. Gaines has upped his scoring numbers while maintaining his defensive prowess this season for UAB, averaging 12.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He scored 17 points and dished out 10 assists in a win over Temple, his third 10-assist outing of the year. Gaines is No. 30 in the nation with 5.5 assists per game and No. 9 in the nation with 2.4 steals per game.
2024-25 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2024-25 UAB men's basketball season are now available. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during the 2024-25 basketball season and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. Season ticket renewal applications will be available in the coming month leading into the September 1, 2024 men's basketball priority seat deadline. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
POWER UP
UAB Athletics is excited to officially compete in the American Athletic Conference and needs Blazer Nation to Power Up by becoming a 2024 Blazer Boosters member. Join Blazer Boosters today as UAB student-athletes complete for championships, graduate with honors, and make a difference in our community.
FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram.
WATCH
Friday's game will air on TNT with Lisa Byington, Steve Smith, Robbie Hummel and Lauren Shehadi on the call.
LISTEN
David Crane and Mo Finley will call the game for the Blazers on 100.5 ESPN JOX 2.
WESTWOOD ONE
The game will be available nationally with Ryan Radtke and Dan Dickau on the call for Westwood One.
SERIES HISTORY
The Blazers won the only meeting between the two programs during the 1989-90 season when UAB head coach Andy Kennedy was a player. Kennedy scored 27 points in the win.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blazers captured the American Conference Tournament title on Sunday with an 85-69 win over Temple. Alejandro Vasquez scored a career high 29 points while Eric Gaines added 15 points, six rebounds, nine assists, five steals and three blocks.
LENDEBORG NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, FIRST TEAM ALL-AAC
After a standout debut season in Birmingham, forward Yaxel Lendeborg was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Lendeborg is UAB's first Conference Defensive Player of the Year since William Lee in 2016-17 and he joins Squeaky Johnson and Cameron Moore as the only Blazers to earn first team All-Conference and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season.
MOST WINS OVER FOUR SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
With the Blazers' win over East Carolina on January 20, 2024, Andy Kennedy earned his 90th win at UAB, which is the most by a UAB coach over his first four seasons. Mike Anderson previously held the record with 89 wins from 2002-06. Additionally, Kennedy's tenure marks the most wins over any four-year period at UAB, surpassing 1983-87 under Gene Bartow. Kennedy reached 100 wins in Birmingham faster than any coach in program history, doing so in only 136 games.
STEPPING UP
Highlight-reel plays marked Eric Gaines' first season in Birmingham with two SportsCenter Top Ten appearances and numerous high-flying dunks. After averaging 11.5 points and 4.3 assists per game, Gaines has played an even larger role this year as the only returning player to average double-digit points per game last season. Gaines has upped his scoring numbers while maintaining his defensive prowess this season for UAB, averaging 12.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He scored 17 points and dished out 10 assists in a win over Temple, his third 10-assist outing of the year. Gaines is No. 30 in the nation with 5.5 assists per game and No. 9 in the nation with 2.4 steals per game.
2024-25 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2024-25 UAB men's basketball season are now available. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during the 2024-25 basketball season and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. Season ticket renewal applications will be available in the coming month leading into the September 1, 2024 men's basketball priority seat deadline. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
POWER UP
UAB Athletics is excited to officially compete in the American Athletic Conference and needs Blazer Nation to Power Up by becoming a 2024 Blazer Boosters member. Join Blazer Boosters today as UAB student-athletes complete for championships, graduate with honors, and make a difference in our community.
FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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