- Keaton Wallace scores 28 points on eight made 3-pointers.
- Jhivvan Jackson (12), Jacob Germany (10) reach double figures.
- UAB shots 49.1 percent in win, claims 37-34 advantage in rebounding.
- Byron Frohnen grabs 11 rebounds, ranks 10th in C-USA history in boards.
SAN ANTONIO – Keaton Wallace had 28 points but sixth-seeded UAB was able to outlast a second-half comeback bid, eliminating No. 10 seed UTSA men's basketball, 74-69 from the 2020 Air Force Reserve Conference USA Championships, on Wednesday night at The Star in Frisco.
UTSA (13-19) rallied from down six at halftime to spurt into the lead late in the game but UAB (19-13) was able to outlast the Roadrunners potential upset bid and eliminate UTSA from the league tournament.
Wallace, a product of Dallas' Richardson High School, starred for UTSA, pouring in 28 points – including 22 in the first half – on 8-of-16 shooting from 3-point land.
Jackson, a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, had 12 points. He finished the year with 26.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, with his scoring total marking a new program record. Jackson set UTSA records in career and single-season points, career and single-season field goals made, and career and single-season 3-pointers made during his junior season.
Senior forward Byron Frohnen made his 132nd career start, each game of his career, and owns program records for career games started, games played and rebounds. Frohnen grabbed 11 rebounds and had three assists in 29 minutes.
UTSA shot 38.8 percent from the field and was 10 of 27 from 3-point range. UAB owned a 37-34 margin in rebounding and finished the game shooting 49.1 percent from the field. The Blazers used made 3-pointers in seven of their first nine attempts to build a first-half lead, finishing shooting 8 of 14 from distance.
UAB scored 10 of the first 15 points to open the game, with UTSA getting buckets from Jacob Germany and Wallace at the first media timeout.
The Roadrunners clawed back behind Wallace, who sank four triples to cut the UAB lead to 23-18 at the second media break.
After an Atem Bior bucket cut the lead to 23-22, UAB went on a 7-0 run to take a 30-22 lead with 8:03 left, forcing a timeout from UTSA Coach Steve Henson. The UAB run continued to 12-2 before the fifth Wallace 3-pointer of the game cut the lead to 35-27 with just under six minutes left.
UTSA used four points from Germany, a sixth triple from Wallace, and a Jackson jumper to cut the lead to 44-38 at halftime. Wallace led all scorers with 22 points in the first half, including six 3-pointers and an 8 of 12 mark from the field. UAB owned a 19-12 advantage in rebounding and bombed in six of nine 3-point attempts.
UAB came out of the gate hot in the second half, stretching the lead to 51-42 before Wallace drilled his seventh trey to cut the lead to eight with 15:40 left in regulation. Erik Czumbel hit his first 3-point of the game to cut the lead to 53-48, part of a 6-0 UTSA run that held UAB without a point for a five-minute stretch.
After a UAB bucket, Czumbel hit his second trey to cut it to four. Luka Barisic cut the lead to 57-53 with a basket and a Knox Hellums and-one narrowed the lead to 57-56 with 7:15 left in regulation.
Jackson drilled a pair at the free throw line out of the media break to give UTSA its first lead since the first half, 58-57.
UTSA's run continued to 9-0 after a Barisic basket and the teams traded points with UAB owning a 63-62 lead with 3:42 left.
Tavin Lovan's free throws gave UAB a three-point lead but Adrian Rodriguez cleaned up the offensive glass to cut the lead to 65-64.
After a UAB triple stretched the lead to 68-64 with 30 seconds left, Wallace answered to cut the lead to 68-67 with 25.3 left in regulation, with Henson calling for a timeout.
Lovan was fouled with 23.5 left, hitting both at the line for a 70-67 lead. Wallace's attempt as the game-tying triple sailed off the rim and Tyreek Scott-Grayson was fouled on the rebound, hitting both for a five-point lead with 16.8 left.
Jackson's two at the rim narrowed the lead to three and Lovan grabbed the rebound, getting fouled with 10.2 left. Lovan hit both for a five-point lead.
- UTSA -