Blazers:
UAB is 23-12 and was runner-up to an NCAA Tournament squad, the Memphis Tigers, in the American this season. Make no mistake, UAB is a good team and would most likely be here even if high majors weren’t passing up the NIT. Torvik has a gaudy line, but the Broncos will need to be on for this one.
Starters:
6-9 forward Yaxel Lendenborg (17.7 pts, 11.2rebs, 34.3% from 3)
6-9 forward Bradley Ezewiro (7.3pts, 4.5rebs)
6-1 guard Ja’Borri McGhee (11.1pts, 2.7rebs, 2.7asts, 41.9% from 3)
6-2 guard Tony Toney (7.5pts, 3.5rebs, 36.8% from 3)
6-4 wing Alejandro Vazquez (11.1pts, 2.9rebs)
Main Bench:
6-8 forward Christian Coleman (11.1pts, 6.9rebs)
6-4 wing Efrem Johnson (8.9pts, 2.1rebs)
UAB gets a lot of its scoring from the front court. Lendenborg is a star, and backup Coleman is very good as well. The Blazers are spectacular at offensive rebounds and do not turn the ball over.
But UAB is very mediocre on defense. Whatever our criticisms of Sendek’s defense, UAB is much worse, clocking in at 239 at Torvik to SCU’s 61st rated defense. So lots of scoring is in store. The Broncos need to be the better defensive squad that they ought to be and limit touches in the paint. Both of these teams can put up 90+ points on offense. The one that decides to play defense will win this, and SCU has a significant advantage there.
The x-factor here is the “home court.” Leavey could be like a mausoleum with the students and faculty on spring break. Hopefully there’s some bolstered local interest with a better game time on a weekend (albeit a school night nonetheless).
88-80 Santa Clara. Bryan keeps his hot streak alive with 19 points, and Ensminger hits another 3-pointer in his comeback campaign.
Pistol mentioned some of this in the NIT game 1 thread…
UAB’s offense is highly ranked, about 40th in the country overall on Torvik, effectively the same as the Broncos. However, they get there with a vastly different approach than the Broncos. They do their work in the paint and at the rim and don’t shoot many 3’s, (354th in 3pt attempt rate on Torvik). They collect a lot of offensive rebounds (5h on Torvik), and have a very low turn over rate (18th on Torvik). Between the high Off reb rate and low turnover rate, they maximize their # of possessions and ultimately scoring.
6-9 foward Yaxel Lendeborg is their best player, athletic and physical. Averaging a double-double at 17.7pts and 11.2 rebs plus 1.8 blocks. Even more impressive, he leads them in assists at 4.2 / game and acts as a point forward and also does a good job of passing out the post. And next to Yaxel they have two athletic and strong forwards, who are good rebounders and interior scorers. It will be interesting to see who gets the defensive assignment on Yaxel, O’Neil or Tilly???
I’ve watched a few UAB games this year and Lendeborg is gonna be an issue for the Broncos. I don’t think Tilly is athletic enough to guard him. Gonna need big games defensively from Jake, Cam and Johnny. Plus the guards have got to help with defensive rebounding and not leak out early.
As with most Broncos games 3 pointers are gonna be the difference. The Blazers don’t shoot it particularly well nor defend it well. Fingers crossed it’s not a cold night for the Broncos.
Having Adama’s size and length would be beneficial tonight. UAB has smallish guards so he could shoot over them and his size would bother them on the defensive end. But if he can’t move laterally he’ll be a liability with staying in front of them.
Yes that’s fair. But aside from Gonzaga it’s not great. Even St Mary game was not too good. Dating myself here, but I remember when USF and SMC filled the student section. Of course this was before Gonzaga was the Gonzaga of today.
UAB has some talent but it looks like we caught a team who isn’t all that excited about playing in the NIT. Their body language and effort is terrible….walking up the court, not hustling back on transition D, hanging their head when we make a bucket.
We’re playing well so credit to the Broncos but it’s against a team who’s giving 80% effort.
So much for that….appears Kennedy lit a fire under them and they’re actually trying now and their D has tightened. Bronco lead down to 6 and need to figure out how to slow down Yaxel.
Well it’s been quite a ride. I can’t believe it ended this way. Was hoping we would be the only remaining WCC team staying in the playoffs. We failed to stop the 3 pt shooting on the perimeter - but UAB brought their own ref too. He called for Alabama all night.
