UC Irvine, UAB square off in NIT

UAB Blazers (24-12, 15-6 AAC) at UC Irvine Anteaters (30-6, 18-4 Big West)

Irvine, California; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: UC Irvine and UAB meet in the National Invitation Tournament.

The Anteaters’ record in Big West play is 18-4, and their record is 12-2 against non-conference opponents. UC Irvine is second in the Big West at limiting opponent scoring, allowing 66.2 points while holding opponents to 39.5% shooting.

The Blazers are 15-6 in AAC play. UAB scores 82.3 points and has outscored opponents by 6.2 points per game.

UC Irvine scores 75.8 points per game, 0.3 fewer points than the 76.1 UAB gives up. UAB averages 6.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 7.8 per game UC Irvine gives up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Justin Hohn is averaging 12.3 points and 3.7 assists for the Anteaters. Bent Leuchten is averaging 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 55.8% over the past 10 games.

Yaxel Lendeborg is averaging 17.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks for the Blazers. Ja’Borri McGhee is averaging 15.2 points and 3.7 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Anteaters: 8-2, averaging 78.1 points, 31.9 rebounds, 15.4 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.2 points per game.

Blazers: 7-3, averaging 78.7 points, 35.2 rebounds, 15.4 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.5 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

By The Associated Press