The UAB Blazers are now 2-1 in conference play and 9-7 overall after an 81-69 victory over the Tulane Green Wave led by an excellent performance from senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg.

Lendeborg ended the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds and an impressive eight assists which left him two short of what would’ve been UAB’s first triple-double since 2009. He also added two blocks and steals respectively on defense.

With a smile on his face, Lendeborg said “It hurts, you know, some of the guys on the bench were telling me about it with a few minutes to go an I had to make a decision between trying to get the win and trying to get those extra assists, so I had to go for the win.”

Despite a near-historic night for his best player, head coach Andy Kennedy says he expects more from him.

“I expect more. Isn’t it crazy? Isn’t it stupid of me?… I just want him to be more assertive. I feel like he gives into contact sometimes,” adding “it’s a lot of people in that lane there, especially against the zone (defense) but if you can get in there and play through it then you have an advantage at the basket.”

Complementing Lendeborg’s big night was guard Tony Toney, who finished with 15 points, all from a career-high five three-point makes and added four rebounds and two assists.

Three-point shooting has never been a strength for the 6-foot-2 senior, but to this point in the season, his three-point percentage has jumped ten percent from 28 percent to a 38 percent rate of makes.

“He works. Man, I’m proud. I just like to see guys in the gym and then be rewarded for that,” Kennedy said. “Toney works, that’s why he’s gotten better, that’s why he’s played more. He made a career-high five and all of them, I thought, were big. The timing of them was big. When AJ (Vasquez) is out there’s a void to fill as it relates to our perimeter shooting and I thought he filled that void.

Despite ending in a comfortable win for the Blazers, Tulane kept the game close for most of the night. The Green Wave’s Asher Woods and Kaleb Banks scored 16 points each, with Banks having a double-double of his own with 12 rebounds.

UAB continues to improve through this early stretch of conference play but will need to be at their best in the coming weeks as they make trips to Florida Atlantic, South Florida and rival Memphis, currently ranked 21st in the country.

The Blazers’ next game is at Florida Atlantic on Sunday at 4:00 and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.