FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 4 UAB advanced to the final of the 2024 American Men’s Basketball Championship with a 93-83 win over No. 1 South Florida on Saturday, March 16 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
With the win, the Blazers (22-11) will face the winner of No. 2 Florida Atlantic and No. 11 Temple in the championship final on Sunday, March 17 at 3:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. CT on ESPN.
In a game of runs that started with UAB starting on an 8-0 run followed by a 13-0 run by the Bulls (24-7), South Florida used a 9-0 run to tie the game at 59-59 with 8:59 remaining, but the Blazers pulled off an 11-0 run of their own to take the lead for good. South Florida cut the lead to four twice, but were unable to get any closer the rest of the way.
Efrem Johnson led UAB with 21 points, while Eric Gaines recorded 20 points with five assists. Yaxel Lendeborg recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Lendeborg now has 347 rebounds, a new American single-season record and one more than the previous mark of 346, set by Alexis Yetna of South Florida in 2018-19.
Selton Miguel led South Florida with 19 points, while Kasean Pryor had 18 points and 15 rebounds.
The win was Andy Kennedy’s 100th as head coach of the Blazers.
2024 American Men’s Basketball Championship Schedule
Wednesday, March 13
Game 1 – No. 12 Wichita State 88, No. 13 Rice 81
Game 2 – No. 11 Temple 64, No. 14 UTSA 61
Thursday, March 14
Game 3 – No. 8 East Carolina, 84, No. 9 Tulsa 79
Game 4 – No. 12 Wichita State 71, No. 5 Memphis 65
Game 5 – No. 7 North Texas 81, No. 10 Tulane 71
Game 6 – No. 11 Temple 75, No. 6 SMU 60
Friday, March 15
Game 7 – No. 1 South Florida 81, No. 8 East Carolina 59
Game 8 – No. 4 UAB 72, No. 12 Wichita State 60
Game 9 – No. 2 Florida Atlantic 77, No. 7 North Texas 71
Game 10 – No. 11 Temple 58, No. 3 Charlotte 54
Saturday, March 16
Game 11 – Semifinal 1, No. 4 UAB 93, No. 1 South Florida 83
Game 12 – Semifinal 2, No. 11 Temple vs. No. 2 Florida Atlantic – 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT | ESPN2
Sunday, March 17
Game 13 – Championship, No. 4 UAB vs. Game 12 winner – 3:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. CT | ESPN
