FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 4 UAB defeated No. 11 Temple, 85-69, to win its first American Men’s Basketball Championship on Sunday, March 17 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Alejandro Vasquez scored 29 points to lead the Blazers (23-11), including 21 points in the first half. He hit five 3-pointers in the first half, tying the Championship record for most 3’s in a half.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the Championship’s Most Outstanding Player, recorded his third double-double of the tournament with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Lendeborg ended the tournament with 41 rebounds in three games, a Championship record, topping the previous record of 35 set by Cincinnati’s Gary Clark in 2018.
Hysier Miller led all scorers with 32 points for Temple (16-20), and finished with 96 points over five games, beating the previous record of 84, set by Memphis’ Kendric Davis in 2023. With six assists, Miller also broke the Championship record with 23, one ahead of Craig Porter Jr.’s mark for Wichita State in 2023.
UAB jumped out to a 22-12 lead and led 43-27 at halftime. The lead grew as large as 26 in the second half before Temple closed the gap to as low as 12 with 3:21 left.
After the game, the selections for the 2024 NCAA Tournament were announced. UAB will be a No. 12 seed and play in Spokane, Wash., against a No. 5 seed San Diego State. Florida Atlantic was also selected and will be a No. 8 seed facing No. 9 seed Northwestern in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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 74, No. 2 Florida Atlantic 73
Sunday, March 17
Game 13 – Championship, No. 4 UAB 85, No. 11 Temple 69
All-Championship Team
Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB – Most Outstanding Player
Eric Gaines, UAB
Alejandro Vasquez, UAB
Hysier Miller, Temple
Steve Settle III, Temple
