SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA men’s basketball team (8-9, 2-3 AAC) are headed back on the road in American Athletic Conference play, traveling to Alabama to face one of the conference’s current upper-echelon squads and the preseason favorite in UAB (11-7, 4-1 AAC). The Roadrunners and Blazers will meet on Tuesday for the 18th time in the series. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bartow Arena and the game will air on UTSA Radio, streaming live on ESPN+.
On the Air and on the Web
Tuesday’s matchup at Bartow Arena will stream live on ESPN+ with Curt Bloom (play-by-play) and Mo Finley (analyst) on the broadcast call.
The radio broadcast will appear on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket with Andy Everett (play-by-play) covering the action. As always, the broadcast will feature a 30-minute pregame and 15-minute postgame show – available online at Ticket760.com or via the free iHeartRadio app.
UAB Athletics will also provide Live Stats.
About the UTSA Roadrunners
The Roadrunners used success from the perimeter to even up the conference record with wins over Wichita State and at Rice over the last 10 days, dropping 13 three-pointers on each opponent. However, a sluggish first half against the top defensive team in The American, North Texas, cut short UTSA’s opportunity to build a win streak. Despite the first-half deficit, the Roadrunners came storming back in the second half, slicing a 22-point gap all the way down to seven late in the period – but North Texas was able to pull away at the free throw line, 72-57. Against UNT, it was Tai’Reon Joseph (19), Raekwon Horton (15) and Marcus Millender (13) holding things down for the Roadrunners, while the Mean Green had Primo Spears locked up offensively. Along with Damari Monsanto (10.0 ppg), this quartet has proven to be the top threats for the Roadrunners this season. Ranking 10th nationally, Spears averages 20.8 ppg to top UTSA, shooting 41.8 percent from the field. Shooting 41.5 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from the perimeter, Millender has come on strong lately, earning AAC Honorable Mention this week after averaging 19.0 ppg with 59.1 shooting and 80 percent from three last week – toward his 11.9 ppg. Horton has been lighting things up on both ends of the floor, scoring 11.7 ppg with 6.6 rpg and a team-high 2.0 steals average that ranks third in the AAC and 49th nationally. Since joining the Roadrunners in December, Joseph has 11.2 ppg as a dangerous slasher and shooter.
UTSA looks to get back to what it does best, forcing chaos off turnovers and moving the ball in transition. The Roadrunners average an AAC fourth-most 78.9 ppg, while leading the conference in threes (9.6) and threes attempted per game (27.8). Running the ball has been key for UTSA, ranking second to only this week’s opponent in fast break points (17.4 ppg). The Roadrunners also remain the second-best free throw shooting team in the country at an 82.5 percent average.
About the Series
The Roadrunners and Blazers meet for the 18th time on Tuesday, with UAB holding up a 12-5 lead overall and a 5-1 advantage in Birmingham. The teams first started playing in 2014 when UTSA joined Conference USA. UAB has claimed the win in five consecutive meetings and the last UTSA series road win was an 82-70 win on Jan. 27, 2018. UTSA's last series win was Feb. 27, 2021 in San Antonio; UTSA topping the Blazers, 96-79 in Andy Kennedy's first UAB season. Last year, it was a dogfight in the Convocation Center with 18 lead changes, 13 ties and UTSA gaining the biggest overall lead at six points. With time expiring, Efrem “Butta” Johnson pulled up for a perfectly rainbowed jumper to sneak UAB out of San Antonio with a 78-76 win in the AAC opener.
About the UAB Blazers
It should be no surprise to those paying attention that sixth-year coach Andy Kennedy has the Blazers playing well heading into conference play – currently sporting a 4-1 AAC record and 11-7 mark overall. Since Kennedy took over the reins in Birmingham following 12 years at Ole Miss, the Blazers have built up steadily to log at least 23 wins in each of the past four seasons, including a 29-10 finish and an NIT runner-up finish in Las Vegas to North Texas. Last season, Kennedy had the Blazers at 23-12, capturing the AAC Tournament Championship and making their second NCAA Tournament appearance under Kennedy.
With Kennedy managing to keep his roster well intact, the Blazers are the top scoring team in the conference at 85.0 ppg, utilizing the only stronger fast break numbers than the Roadrunners at 18.8 ppg in transition. Built on a sturdy offensive board stat, the Blazers also top the conference with 41.0 rpg, leading the league with a solid +7.4 rebound margin. The Blazers shoot an AAC second-best 47.3 percent and hold the opposition to 43.2 percent shooting.
With the Blazers picked first in the preseason AAC Coaches Poll, UAB is anchored by Preseason AAC Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg at forward and averaging a near-double double of 16.4 ppg and 9.8 rpg, while also leading UAB with a 4.1 assist per contest average. He was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24. On the opposite block, Christian Coleman returns with 12.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg, while Alejandro Vasquez adds 11.2 ppg, Ja’Borri McGhee averages 10.4 ppg and Johnson is back with 9.8 ppg. Johnson and Vasquez were on the Preseason All-AAC second team.
Up Next
Another of the league’s current top teams is on the slate for Saturday, with Temple coming to the Convocation Center on Jan. 25 with a 3 p.m. tip for the annual NABC Suits and Sneakers for Cancer game.
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