UAB Blazers win American Athletic Conference title

Photo credit: American Athletic Conference, Used with permission

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (March 17, 2024) In a thrilling showdown at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, the No. 4 UAB Blazers clinched their first-ever American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship with an impressive 85-69 victory over the No. 11 Temple Owls.

The Blazers' Alejandro Vasquez lit up the court with an astounding 29 points, 21 of which he scored in a jaw-dropping first half performance. Vasquez's hot hand included sinking five remarkable 3-pointers, matching the championship record for most 3's in a single half. Meanwhile, Yaxel Lendeborg's stellar play throughout the tournament earned him the title of Most Outstanding Player, sealing the deal with his third double-double, racking up 14 points and an incredible 16 rebounds in the championship game. Lendeborg's dominance on the boards set a new championship record, surpassing the previous mark set in 2018.

Despite Temple's Hysier Miller's valiant effort, pouring in an impressive 32 points, it wasn't enough to overcome UAB's commanding lead. Miller's remarkable tournament performance saw him break records left and right, amassing 96 points over five games, as well as dishing out a record-breaking six assists in the championship game.

From the opening tip-off, UAB seized control of the game, storming to a 22-12 lead and maintaining their dominance to enter halftime with a commanding 43-27 advantage. Although Temple fought back to narrow the gap in the second half, UAB's lead proved insurmountable, securing their historic victory.

With the championship celebrations still echoing, attention swiftly turned to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. UAB earned a No. 12 seed and will clash with the No. 5 seed San Diego State in Spokane, Wash., while Florida Atlantic secured a No. 8 seed and will face off against No. 9 seed Northwestern in Brooklyn, N.Y.