On Tuesday evening, the UAB Men’s Basketball team returned to Bartow Arena, facing Alabama State in their third regular season matchup following the 24-point loss against NC State that marked their first away game of the season. The Blazers entered the game lacking a considerable piece of their rotation in junior big man João Das Chagas, who did not dress out for the night’s game. 

In the game itself, the Blazers consistently found themselves fighting from behind, as the Hornets led for nearly 30 minutes of game time, a lead which peaked early in the first half at a relatively low 10 points. Despite the statistical disparity in this category, the game was never truly out of reach for the team until the final buzzer sounded. However, Alabama State frequently found itself able to construct offensive runs that the Blazers struggled to respond to due to their inability to make shots fall.  

UAB’s Chance Westry was a bright spot for Head Coach Andy Kennedy’s Blazers. The Syracuse transfer scored a team-high 25 points, including a three-pointer in the final seconds of the second half that pulled the Blazers within a point of the Hornets. In the big picture, Head Coach Andy Kennedy has hope that Westry can emerge as a leader amongst the team, adding that the team is searching for leadership in the early goings of their season. 

The Blazers have a short turnaround before they return to Bartow Arena on Friday to continue non-conference play against High Point University.