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  • The UAB Blazers Are Headed To The NIT Championship Game After Topping Utah Valley

The UAB Blazers Are Headed To The NIT Championship Game After Topping Utah Valley

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Basketball

Ty Brewer had a career night to lead UAB men's basketball (29-9, 14-6 C-USA) past Utah Valley (28-9, 15-3 WAC) in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals, 88-86, in overtime.

Brewer matched his career high with 30 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and recorded five steals while shooting 13-for-17 (.765) from the field.

Brewer dominated the first half, shooting 6-for-7 from the field with 14 points, five boards and four steals over the first 20 minutes. UAB opened the game on an 11-2 run over the first four minutes.

The Blazers led by 10 with just under eight minutes to go in the first half, but the Wolverines were able to get back into the game. After Aziz Bandaogo knocked down a pair of free throws to cut it to two with 13 seconds remaining in the half, Jordan Walker went down the floor and hit a midrange jumper at the buzzer to make it 41-37 at the break.

In the second half, the UAB lead did not extend beyond eight points. Every time the Blazers tried to pull away, the Wolverines had an answer. After 12 minutes, Utah Valley took its first lead of the night after Tim Fuller's bucket. The game was back-and-forth to the finish.

After UVU tied it up with just over 30 seconds remaining, the Blazers had a chance to win the game. Walker got his own offensive rebound, but his floater and KJ Buffen's attempt to tip it in came up short, sending the game to overtime.

UAB pulled ahead by three early in overtime after Eric Gaines scored five straight points and hit a three. Trey Jemison's tip in on the offensive boards put the Blazers up by five with three minutes left in the extra period. Utah Valley again responded, tying it up with one minute to go at 83-83. Ty Brewer hit a clutch jumper with 45 seconds to go to give the Blazers the lead. Jordan Walker knocked down 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to help put the game away.

NOTES

  • UAB has advanced to the NIT title game for the first time in program history. The Blazers were previously 0-2 in semifinal games.
  • The Blazers extended their program record to 29 wins.
  • Ty Brewer scored 30 points, tying his career high that was set in 2019.
  • He also grabbed 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the year and recorded a career-best five steals.
  • Despite struggling from the field, Jordan Walker finished with 17 points and six assists.
  • Walker is shooting .921 (35-38) from the free throw line in the postseason.
  • Eric Gaines added 13 points, three rebounds and two assists.
  • Trey Jemison has reached 322 rebounds on the year, ranking third in program history, three shy of the program record.


UP NEXT
The win sets up an NIT championship game featuring the Blazers against fellow Conference USA foe North Texas on Thursday night at 8:40 p.m. CT in Las Vegas. The game will air on ESPN2.