There’s certainly something the matter with the UAB basketball team but maybe it’s not yet time to hit the panic button.

The Blazers got off to a strong start on the offensive end but were never able to slow a three-point onslaught in an 87-68 loss to Arkansas State, Saturday, Dec. 9, at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

UAB (4-5) is now on a three-game losing streak after winning four straight over Maryland, two-time reigning SWAC champion Alcorn State, Middle Tennessee State and reigning SoCon champion Furman.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, sure there’s been moments where you just can’t seem to figure it out, but I have never had a team less fiery than this one,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy said. “When I say less fiery, last year’s group went through a little losing streak and you’d walk in that locker room and there would be a lot of emotion. There’s not a lot of emotion in that locker room right now.”

“I always use the term, ‘the emperor with no clothes,’” he added. “The emperor thought he had all the answers and ends up buying an invisible suit — that’s kind of like what we are in my opinion. I’m with these guys every day and we’re not edgy enough. We don’t play with enough pop.”

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The Blazers shot 43.9 percent overall, 25 percent (6-of-24) from 3-point range and 12-of-16 at the charity stripe. UAB allowed the Red Wolves to shoot 50.8 percent from the field and 43.3 percent (13-of-30) on 3-pointers, and gave up 13 turnovers that resulted in 13 points for Arkansas State.

“Our inability to guard, this is four consecutive games over 80 (points), I don’t have an explanation for it other than we got to continue to get better,” Kennedy said. “Maybe I’m playing the wrong guys. Honestly, save for a couple of guys, everybody’s had opportunities.”

Yaxel Lendeborg posted his second double-double of the season and finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and a steal. He scored 10 straight points for UAB early in the second half but the Red Wolves matched it in maintaining a nine-point advantage and extending the lead to double digits for the remainder of the game.

“He was battling, off the ball, making some plays,” Kennedy said. “It was good to see Yax be aggressive.”

The Blazers opened up an early 9-5 lead on the aid of two triples from Tony Toney, but Arkansas State responded with an 11-1 run to take a 16-10 lead not six minutes into the first half. UAB retook the lead on a 10-0 run and held a 33-29 advantage with 7:50 left in the frame, but the Red Wolves closed out the first half on a 17-5 run to power ahead for a 46-38 halftime lead.

Arkansas State shot out on a 5-0 surge in the second half but the Blazers were able to pull within six points on a 9-2 run, including five straight points from Lendeborg. The Red Wolves shot back ahead on an 8-0 run, UAB coming as close as nine points midway through the half, and sealed the Blazers’ fate on a 16-3 run for its largest lead at 22 points with 7:02 remaining.

UAB countered with a 7-1 run, cutting the lead to 80-64 with a little more than four minutes left, but failed to score in the final 3:19 of the game while the Red Wolves finished 1-of-5 from the field.

“You want to ride with your veterans and we’re just not getting very much leadership,” Kennedy said. “We’re not getting leadership on the floor, we’re not getting leadership off the floor. This is the most pathetic defensive team as it relates to — just everything quite frankly — the inability to stay in front of the ball and communicate through switches and the inability to recognize actions that we’ve had a week to prepare for. Really disappointed and as the leader of this program, I have got to figure it out.”

Efrem “Butta” Johnson returned from a one-game absence to finish with 12 points, five rebounds and two assists, followed by Tony Toney with 10 points. Eric Gaines had eight points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals, Alejandro Vasquez had six points and four rebounds and Daniel Ortiz had seven points. Javian Davis contributed two points, making his only shot attempt of the game, and collected four boards.

The Blazers make the short trip north to face Alabama A&M, Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Event Center in Huntsville. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.