Alejandro Vasquez scored a game-high 26 points and Yaxel Lendeborg, a game-time decision with an illness, put up 22 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in UAB’s 96-78 rout of the Charlotte 49ers at Bartow Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers’ record improved to 14-8 overall with a 7-2 conference record.

Despite being visibly under the weather before and throughout the game, Lendeborg recorded his 14th double-double of the year, which is good for the third-most in Division-1 college basketball.

“Yesterday he showed up and he’d been sick and couldn’t go, so we didn’t know if he’d be able to go (today). The kid’s just a warrior, he understands the importance of these home games, he understands where we are from a position standpoint. Kudos to him,” head coach Andy Kennedy said after the performance.

After a three-game stretch of struggling to score, Vasquez’ 26-point offensive explosion where he hit 10 of his 15 shots was the difference in the game according to Kennedy.

“We’re a totally different team (when he’s making shots), because he’s a physical guard, and he can dance with that ball. He dribbles a little too much for me, but he can dance with that ball and get to a spot and that’s what got him started.”

Guards Tony Toney and Ja’Borri McGhee as well as forward Bradley Ezewiro continue to make plays and improve throughout the season, with Ezewiro becoming a reliable frontcourt option off the bench over the last three games. He scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked a shot in his 26 minutes today.

Ezewiro and Lendeborg led the Blazers to a 40-to-23 rebound advantage over Charlotte on the afternoon, but their frontcourt did find some success. The 49ers Giancarlo Rosado scored a team-high 17 points, and notched a double-double of his own with 10 assists for Charlotte, who struggled to establish any rhythm in the paint.

UAB will need to keep their offense hot and get Lendeborg fully healthy for their upcoming battle vs North Texas on Monday night. The Mean Green are 2nd in the AAC with a 7-1 conference record, and beat UAB on a buzzer beater on New Year’s Eve in Denton. The game tips off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.