Jordan Walker scored a game-high 30 points to lead four Blazers in double figures as UAB cruised to an 87-73 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs in the championship game of the Sunshine Slam’s Beach Bracket on Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Walker shot 11 for 21 from the field, including 5 for 14 from distance, to go along with five assists and four rebounds, while Eric Gaines added 14 points, a game-high eight assists and six rebounds. KJ Buffen finished with 11 points and three rebounds and Ledarrius Brewer had 10 points and five rebounds. Trey Jemison had nine points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Blazers (4-1), who led by as many as 18 points in the second half, shot 35 for 72 (48.6 percent) from the field, including 6 for 24 (25 percent) from 3-point range. UAB scored 23 points off Georgia’s 15 turnovers, while the Blazers turned the ball over just seven times themselves, resulting in just three points for the Bulldogs.
Georgia (4-2) was led by Justin Hill’s 17 points and four rebounds, while Kario Oquendo finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Braelen Bridges added 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Bulldogs shot 28 for 64 (43.8 percent) from the field, including 5 for 21 (23.8 percent) from beyond the arc, in addition to allowing 52 points in the paint.
Neither team led by more than seven points during a tight first half that ended with Georgia leading 42-41.
UAB took control of the game by opening the second half on a 14-6 run capped by Ty Brewer’s alley-oop off Gaines’ pass for a 55-48 lead with 12:57 left in the game.
The Blazers stretched their lead to 73-57 following Buffen’s three-point play with 6:59 to go.
Bridges scored eight points, while no other Bulldog scored more than four, in the first half.
The Bulldogs shot 17 for 30 (56.7 percent) from the field, including 3 for 8 (37.5 percent) from distance, and outrebounded the Blazers 20-12.
Walker scored 11 first-half points while Gaines added 10 for the Blazers, who shot 18 for 35 (51.4 percent), including a dreadful 2 for 12 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc.
–Field Level Media