It may not be the ending envisioned by the UAB basketball team but it’s certainly the beginning of a Renaissance-era following a hard-fought loss in the final game of the season with a championship on the line.

The Blazers rallied early in the second half but could not fend off a furious flurry in the final minutes in their 68-61 loss to North Texas in the NIT championship game, Thursday, March 30, at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

UAB concludes the 2022-2023 season at 29-10 overall and finishes 1-3 against the Mean Green after winning 16 of its last 18 games entering the championship game.

“It’s always disappointing when it ends, especially when you’ve got a group that has done the things that this group has done,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy said. “We knew coming in, we’re very, very familiar with North Texas and we knew we had to play well. They are a good basketball team and they made the plays that are necessary in order to be NIT champs, so congratulations to them.”

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The Blazers finished shooting 35.6 percent overall and 31.3 percent on 3-pointers, but were 24-for-31 at the foul line. North Texas was 45.6 percent from the field, forced 13 turnovers that resulted in 15 points and earned a plus-6 edge in rebounding and inside scoring.

“First half, I thought they were beating us to some loose balls, keeping balls alive and just playing better, finishing inside,” Kennedy said. “Second half we certainly changed the tune to that. I think we took our first lead midway through that second half and then uncharacteristically for us, missed some free throws and block-outs.”

North Texas opened the game on an 8-0 run before KJ Buffen hit a pair of free throws for UAB’s first points of the game, adding a layup on the next possession to pull the Blazers within 10-4 inside the first four minutes of action. UAB responded with an 11-0 run to take a 15-12 lead but the Mean Green answered with a 14-6 run and a 9-2 run to take a 10-point lead into the halftime break.

The Blazers came hot in the second half and tied the game at 41-all with a 14-4 run in the first five minutes of the period. North Texas’ Tylor Perry gave the Mean Green the lead back on a personal 4-0 spurt but UAB took back control on an 11-5 run to take a 53-50 lead with 7:09 remaining in the game.

Despite holding the advantage, UAB was held to 1-of-5 from the field the rest of the way as North Texas powered ahead on the back of an 18-8 closing run in the final six minutes.

“I think they keep constant pressure on you, they force you into some tough shots, some tough decisions,” Kennedy said. “I thought when we had the game, we were really good defensively to start the half. In the open floor, before they could get set, we were able to take advantage of some matchups, and we had some guys make some plays. Down the stretch, offensively, boy, there was a couple of some fortuitous bounces, one kid makes a three to end the clock, and then Tylor Perry makes that big-time shot which was the bone crusher at the end.”

“I think it’s been well-documented over the last — especially over the last week, the strength in Conference USA,” he added. “We have had four battles with them (North Texas), and most all of them have been just like this where it comes down to the team that makes the most plays, and North Texas made most plays tonight, and ultimately they deserved the Championship.”

Jordan “Jelly” Walker finished tied for a game-high 21 points, along with six assists and five turnovers, and set the UAB single-season scoring record this year with 736 points through 33 games played. The 2022 Conference USA Player of the Year was reflective of his time at UAB during postgame.

“Today is a little hard but I’m blessed,” Walker said. “I want to thank God first and foremost for allowing me to even be in this position to talk with you guys. I prayed this morning and I told Him no matter what, through the good or the bad, the win or the loss, I’m going to praise Him in advance. I’m definitely thankful to be here. I put that to God.”

“To Andy Kennedy, I appreciate him like no other,” he added. “He gave me a chance to come here and be me and show people who Jordan Walker really is, and I always appreciate him for that. He truly believed in me from the moment I stepped on campus to my last game here, and I truly love him for that. He’s done nothing but believe in me and uplift me through all my good and all my bad. To my teammates, I love them, every single one of them. I bump heads with a lot of them, but at the end of the day, I love each and every one of them. And to UAB, I appreciate every single person from the teachers to the students to even the janitors who work in our gym, I appreciate every one of them.”

Trey “The Mayor” Jemison had six points and seven rebounds, setting the UAB single-season record for rebounds with 328 this season. A Birmingham native, Jemison was one of the first players to transfer to UAB following Kennedy’s hiring in 2020 and played not only with Walker for two years, but with Mike Ertel and Quan Jackson as well with both transferring the same year as Jemison.

“I’m so grateful, man, despite the outcome, despite not playing how I wanted to play, how we wanted to play, I’m still grateful to be playing with these guys,” Jemison said. “It’s been a wonderful journey, to say the least, and you hate it ends this way but I’m glad it ended with these guys. I’m glad to play for AK for three years and glad to play with Jelly for two years, so just grateful, man.”

KJ Buffen contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, followed by Tavin Lovan with eight points and two rebounds, and Javian Davis had seven points. Eric Gaines had four points and Ty and Ledarrius Brewer scored two points each, the former adding four boards.

The Blazers lose six seniors from the 2022-2023 team – Jordan Walker, Trey Jemison, KJ Buffen, Tavin Lovan and the Brewer Brothers – but none more recognizable than Walker, despite playing only two years in Birmingham. While appearing in the NIT championship is not the pinnacle of the program, the efforts of Walker and his departing class have reset the Bartow standard that Kennedy has spoken of during his three-year tenure.

“It will always be my second home, and I’ve been to a lot of different schools,” Walker said. “But for the rest of my life, this is going to be my second home.”