UAB Downs Florida Atlantic on Senior Night

Thursday, March 6

Birmingham, Ala.

6 p.m.

UAB

20-10,13-4AAC

Florida Atlantic

16-14,9-8AAC

Fla. Atlantic

UAB

Photo by: Ken Shepherd

UAB Downs Florida Atlantic on Senior Night

3/6/2025 10:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Presser

BIRMINGHAM – Ja'Borri McGhee scored a career high 27 points to lead UAB men's basketball (20-10, 13-4 AAC) to an 89-80 win over Florida Atlantic (16-14, 9-8 AAC) on Thursday night as the Blazers recognized their senior class.

With the win, UAB has reached 20 wins in each of the last five seasons under head coach Andy Kennedy, marking the first time the Blazers have posted five straight 20-win seasons.

The Owls scored the first eight points of the contest to put the Blazers in an early hole. Alejandro Vasquez got the UAB offense going, scoring each of the first six UAB points. The Blazers took their first lead of the night at the 14:14 mark as Yaxel Lendeborg got on the board with a driving layup.

The Blazer lead grew to six points before a 9-0 FAU run sparked by the Owls' freshman big man Matas Vokietaitis. Florida Atlantic was in control on the offensive end in the first half, shooting 60.7 percent from the field.

FAU's lead grew to as many as six points late in the first half, but Ja'Borri McGhee's layup with 26 seconds left cut the Owls' advantage to 42-38 at the break.

McGhee opened the second half on a tear. He scored 10 of UAB's first 12 points including a pair of three-pointers to put the Blazers ahead 50-48 at the 16:23 mark.

UAB's lead grew to eight points with 10:37 remaining after Tony Toney broke up a lob inside and found Efrem "Butta" Johnson for a fastbreak layup ahead of the pack. The teams traded baskets from there and the Blazers were able to keep Florida Atlantic at arm's length, never getting within a possession.

With 1:23 remaining, Alejandro Vasquez put the game away with a three after McGhee dished it to him in the corner, putting the Blazers up by 10. The Blazers then closed it out for the 89-80 victory over the Owls.

NOTES

UAB has won at least 20 games in five straight seasons for the first time in program history.
The Blazers are now 9-0 against Florida Atlantic in Birmingham.
Ja'Borri McGhee scored a career high 27 points while shooting 10-for-16 from the field.
Yaxel Lendeborg scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out five assists for his 19^th double-double of the season, breaking his own single-season program record.
Lendeborg also became the fifth player in UAB history to score 1,000 points in his first two seasons as a Blazer, joining Andy Kennedy, Robert Shannon, Robert Vaden and Jordan "Jelly" Walker.
Alejandro Vasquez scored 18 points while shooting 8-for-14 from the field.
Christian Coleman added 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting.

UP NEXT
The Blazers will travel to New Orleans to face Tulane in the regular season finale on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

BLAZER BOOSTERS
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