Eric Gaines had just pushed the lead to three points with nine seconds remaining in regulation but his head coach called a timeout before the ensuing possession to calm nerves and plot out strategy after giving up two late leads in its first two outings of the season.

It proved fortuitous as Yaxel Lendeborg blocked a last-second shot to secure the first win of the season for the UAB basketball team.

The Blazers went cold late, failing to score a field goal in the final six minutes, but held on for a 66-63 victory over Maryland in the third-place game of the Asheville Championship, Sunday, Nov. 12, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.

“Great environment, quality competition early in the year, that’s why you do these things,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy said. “You learn a lot about your team and we certainly learned a lot about our group over the last 72 hours. The guys put themselves in position for a quality win and thankfully we were able to capitalize.”

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UAB (1-2) shot 41 percent overall, only 1-of-9 on 3-pointers, and earned a plus-8 advantage on interior scoring. Maryland was held to 39 percent from the field, 26 percent from 3-point range and gave up 15 turnovers with 10 steals.

The Blazers entered the game 29-for-45 on free-throw attempts (64.4 percent) and finished 21-of-23 at the charity stripe against Maryland.

“That’s the difference,” Kennedy said. “We’ve been charting free throws since June. In the first two games, our free throws have abandoned us in one-possession games. We finished things with authority and we were able to capitalize at the free-throw line.”

Eric Gaines finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and added three rebounds, three assists and four steals. He jumpstarted an 8-3 closing run in the first half, trimming an 11-point lead down to six points at halftime, and made UAB’s only 3-pointer of the game.

Both teams battled to a 10-all tie early in the opening half and the Terrapins surged ahead on an 11-0 run to take a 21-12 lead more than midway through the frame. Gaines trimmed the double-digit lead on a pair of dunks and, along with Christian Coleman, scored the final eight points for the Blazers while holding Maryland to a single field goal in the final five minutes of the half.

Efrem “Butta” Johnson got the Blazers going to open the second half, putting up a layup on UAB’s initial possession, and Gaines added a pair of free throws and a dunk to complete a 6-0 opening run and tie the game at 30-all. Maryland jumped back ahead by three points but the Blazers hit a game-changing 17-2 run to build as much as a 12-point lead midway through the half.

Alejandro Vasquez scored seven points during the run, going 5-of-5 on free throws with a layup, and finished with 14 points and five rebounds.

“It started, really, with Alejandro Vasquez,” Kennedy said. “He’s the guy that we brought here and can be a double-figure scorer for us. He’s really strong off the bounce and was able to get some today.”

Trailing 50-38, Maryland closed the gap to two possessions with a 17-9 run following the midpoint of the half and Vasquez and Lendeborg extended it back to eight points on a pair of free throws. The Terrapins grabbed a 6-0 run to cut the lead down to a single basket in the final minute, holding the Blazers without a field goal the final 6:39 of the game, but Johnson and Gaines combined for 3-of-4 free throws to clinch the much-needed win.

“It was kind of a nutty game,” Kennedy said. “Basketball is the ultimate game of rhythm. Establish yours, disrupt theirs.”

Tony Toney and Lendeborg scored eight points each, followed by Johnson and Coleman with six points apiece and a combined eight boards. Javian Davis posted four points and seven rebounds before fouling out for the second straight game.

The Blazers return home to face Alcorn State, Thursday, Nov. 16, at Bartow Arena in Birmingham. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.