Tulsa Hosts Rematch with UAB On Wednesday

GAME #21: Tulsa (9-11, 3-4 AAC) vs. UAB (12-8, 5-2 AAC)
Date/Time:	Wednesday • January 29, 2025 • 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Donald W. Reynolds Center (8,355) • Tulsa, Okla.
Coaches:	Tulsa – Eric Konkol (Wisconsin-Eau Claire, '00), 3rd Season UAB – Andy Kennedy (UAB '91), 5th Season
TV:	ESPN+ \| Chad McKee (PxP) and Pooh Williamson (Analyst)
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM / Varsity Sports App (Bruce Howard & JR Rollo)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	19th Meeting \| UAB Leads Series 11-7
Twitter:	@TUMBasketball \| @TulsaHurricane
Instagram:	TulsaMBasketball
Notes:	Tulsa Notes \| UAB Notes \| The American Notes

TULSA, Okla. –– The University of Tulsa men's basketball team welcomes UAB to the Donald. W Reynolds on Wednesday evening to end a three-game homestand.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+ with Chad Mckee and Pooh Williamson on the call. Fans can also catch the contest on Big Country 99.5 FM and the Varsity Network app. Bruce Howard will bring fans the action alongside analyst JR Rollo.

Wednesday's contest is Tulsa's Coaches vs. Cancer game and fans have an opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind Tulsa keepsake. For $25 a ticket, fans can enter a raffle for a custom-made Coaches vs. Cancer Adidas sneaker in the size of the winner's choice. TU head coach Eric Konkol will wear an identical pair during the game, and all proceeds will go toward benefitting the American Cancer Society.

This is the 19^th meeting the Golden Hurricane (9-11, 3-4 The American) and the Blazers (12-8, 5-2 The American), in a series UAB leads 11-7. UAB has won three in a row in Tulsa, where the Hurricane is 4-4 against the Blazers, and overall have taken five straight in the series. The Hurricane will look to avenge an earlier season 83-51 loss to UAB in Birmingham. Only Ian Smikle scored in double figures in the contest, but Tulsa was without Isaiah Barnes and Jared Garcia.

Tulsa got back in the win column with an 84-77 win over its rival Wichita State on Sunday. Dwon Odom nearly achieved TU's second triple-double, scoring 17 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds. It was his fourth double-double of the season and second in a row. Odom was named to The American Weekly Honorable Mention list for his performance.

Garcia led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed four rebounds as he makes great progress toward full strength. He knocked down 5-of-6 3-point attempts in the game. Since rejoining the Tulsa lineup, Garcia is putting up averages of 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from long range.

Graduate guard Keaston Willis also scored 17 points and knocked down five 3-pointers. He's made at least three triples in each of the past five games as he crossed 60 made triples on the season. He also achieved his 100^th double-digit scoring game of his carer in the win.

As a whole, Tulsa had its best shooting night of the season, especially from 3-point range, where the Hurricane knocked down 13-of-21 triples at a 61.9 percent rate. This was TU's best 3-point shooting performance with 10 or more makes since Jan. 10, 2016, when Tulsa knocked down 13-of-20 (65 percent) 3-pointers in an 81-67 win at Tulane.

UAB's win against Tulsa earlier this season started a five-game winning streak for the Blazers who have started to find their form after an up-and-down start to the season. The five-game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Sunday, though, in a 100-77 loss at then-#24 Memphis.

The Blazers do three things better than most teams, scoring and scoring quickly, and rebounding. UAB is 12th in the country for scoring offense (84.4 points per game) and second nationally in fastbreak points per game (18.35). The Blazers are dangerous on the offensive glass, ranking ninth in the NCAA for offensive rebounds per game (14.7), and their 40.9 total rebounds per contest is the 10th best in the country. UAB leads the conference in each of those categories.

Reigning The American Defensive Player of the Year and Preseason Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg sets the tone for the Blazers, averaging a double-double in points (16.9) and rebounds (10.1), both leading the team. His 4.25 assists per game also leads the Blazers. UAB has three others who average scoring in double figures, Christian Coleman (12.3), Alejandro Vasquez (10.6) and Efrem Johnson (10.5).

Following Wednesday's contest, the Golden Hurricane will open a two-game road swing with a game at Tulane on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will air on ESPNU.

Tulsa Hosts Rematch with UAB On Wednesday

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Players Mentioned

Isaiah Barnes

Jared Garcia

Dwon Odom

Ian Smikle

Keaston Willis