Gaines, Lovan Lead UAB MBB to 72-60 Win at WKU

Saturday, February 25

Bowling Green, Ky.

7 p.m.

UAB

-228,136 CUSA

WKU

-1514,711 CUSA

UAB

Western Ky.

Photo by: Brantley Bargerhuff

Gaines, Lovan Lead UAB MBB to 72-60 Win at WKU

2/25/2023 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – UAB men's basketball (22-8, 13-6 C-USA) used a balanced effort to beat Western Kentucky (15-14, 7-11 C-USA) on the road, 72-60. Tavin Lovan added a season-high 14 points while Eric Gaines had 17. The Blazers outscored WKU, 46-24, in the paint.

WKU jumped out to an early 13-6 lead over the Blazers, but UAB was able to respond with a 16-2 run. The Blazers led 22-15 after a Ty Brewer dunk on a fast break forced a Western Kentucky timeout.

The Hilltoppers answered the run with one of their own. A 9-0 stretch for WKU gave the Tops the lead at 24-22. UAB was able to take a four-point lead into the break after Tavin Lovan got a putback with four seconds to go in the first half.

UAB took its first double-digit lead early in the second half when KJ Buffen threw up a lob to Eric Gaines for an alley oop slam. Gaines' dunk put the Blazers ahead by 11 at 48-37, six minutes into the half.

The Blazers did not stop there. After WKU finally answered with a layup, UAB again scored seven straight points to make it a 14-2 run, leading 55-39 in the second half. The defense held WKU leading scorer Dayvion McKnight under nine points for only the second time this season. UAB was able to close it out, securing the 72-60 victory.

NOTES

UAB has won nine of its last 10 games, spanning one month. The sole loss being a double overtime defeat at North Texas.
The Blazers have held their opponent under 70 points in four of their last five games.
UAB has won three straight games at WKU, the longest road winning streak for either team in the series.
For the 10^th time this season, the Blazers grabbed at least 15 offensive boards.
Jordan Walker joined Robert Vaden and Andy Kennedy as the only Blazers to reach 100 3FGs in a season twice. Vaden, Kennedy and Walker are the only three UAB players to have accomplished the feat.
Eric Gaines finished with 17 points while shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 2-for-4 from three.
Tavin Lovan starred in his return to Kentucky. He finished with a season-high 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Trey Jemison scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.

UP NEXT
The Blazers will travel to Charlotte on Sunday, March 4 to close the regular season. Tipoff is set for Noon CT on Stadium.

2023-24 SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2023-24 UAB men's basketball season are now available starting as low as $110. Season ticket packages will feature all home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Bartow Arena. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.

FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
For more information on the UAB men's basketball team, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram.