Blazers Blaze Past Miners: UAB Dominates UTEP in Conference Showdown

Well, what a game it was in Birmingham on Saturday! The UAB Blazers really showed up, putting on a dominant display to take down UTEP with a final score of 75-59. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement, a solid performance that truly highlighted the team's growing strength in the American Athletic Conference.

The star of the show, without a doubt, was Yaxel Lendeborg. He absolutely owned the court, pouring in a career-high 23 points and grabbing an equally impressive 15 rebounds. Talk about a double-double that left everyone buzzing! His energy and relentless effort in the paint were just infectious, setting the tone for the entire squad. You could really feel the momentum building with every shot he made and every board he pulled down.

But it wasn't a one-man show, not by a long shot. Alec Oglesby had himself quite the night too, chipping in with a season-best 17 points, making crucial shots when the team needed them most. And let's not forget Eric Gaines, who added 10 points, consistently driving the offense and making smart plays. Even Javian Davis got in on the action with 9 points and a hefty 10 rebounds, showcasing UAB's overall dominance on the glass – they actually outrebounded UTEP by a significant 44-28 margin, which, honestly, tells a big part of the story.

The Blazers' offense was simply clicking, connecting on an impressive 51.7% of their shots from the field. That kind of efficiency, hitting 30 out of 58 attempts, is tough to beat. And to top it all off, they dished out a whopping 26 assists! That speaks volumes about their unselfish play and how well they were moving the ball around, finding the open man. It was a beautiful display of team basketball, really.

On the flip side, the UTEP Miners, bless their hearts, just couldn't find their rhythm. They struggled significantly from the field, managing to shoot only 32.8%, making just 20 of their 61 attempts. It’s tough to win a road game, especially a conference one, when the shots just aren’t falling. Tae Hardy led their scoring effort with 13 points, and Corey Dougan contributed 10, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stem the UAB tide.

This victory pushes UAB's overall record to a respectable 18-10, and more importantly, improves their AAC standing to 10-5. They're definitely making a strong push as the regular season winds down, positioning themselves nicely for postseason play. Meanwhile, UTEP now stands at 14-14 overall and 5-8 in conference action, a tough pill to swallow after a hard-fought game.

Looking ahead, the Blazers will be back on their home court to face Temple on March 2nd, hoping to carry this momentum forward. The Miners, on the other hand, will head home to host North Texas on the same day, eager to bounce back and get a much-needed win. It’s crunch time in college basketball, and every game truly matters!