Blazers Advance Past Saint Joseph’s

Wednesday, March 19

Philadelphia, Pa.

6 p.m.

UAB

23-12,13-5AAC

Saint Joseph's

22-13,11-7Atlantic 10

UAB

Saint Joseph's

Photo by: Mario Terrana

Blazers Advance Past Saint Joseph’s

3/19/2025 9:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – 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 24^th 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.

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