Lendeborg, COLEMAN lead UAB In NIT TilT Against 30-6 UC Irvine

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 26, 2025

No official word has come from Yaxel Lendeborg and Christian Coleman on whether they will extend their college basketball career. Both are seniors and each participated in Senior Day festivities on March 6. However, each has one more year of eligibility available because of the Diego Pavia eligibility ruling for former junior college players.

It’s unclear whether they will take advantage of the opportunity. However, there’s no doubt that Lendeborg and Coleman are playing like they’re on a mission to extend this season as long as possible. And they’ve led the way for UAB as the Blazers move into a NIT quarterfinal matchup against UC Irvine on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. CT at the Bren Events Center in Irvine.

UAB earned the opportunity at facing the No. 1 seeded Anteaters by winning road games at Saint Joseph’s (69-65) and Santa Clara (88-84). Lendeborg, who is solidifying his NBA Draft status in the postseason, and Coleman had their fingerprints all over each win. In the two games, Lendeborg is averaging 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks per game. Coleman averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 15-for-22 from the field.

They’ll face a UC Irvine frontcourt that features 7-foot, 260-pound senior Ben Leuchten, who is an All-Big West selection and a finalist for the Lou Henson award, which is given to the top mid-major player in the nation. Leuchten averages 15.3 points and nine rebounds while shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 82.3 percent from the free throw line. The offense runs through Leuchten and Devin Tillis. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Tillis averages 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and made 41 3-pointers.

Leuchten and Tillis combined for just 14 points in the 66-61 NIT quarterfinal win over Jacksonville State on Sunday night. Justin Hohn, a 6-foot-2 guard, stepped up to score 22 points, with 12 of it coming on 3-point shots, to lead the way in the win. Hohn averages 12.3 points and leads the team with 71 3-pointers. Myles Che, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, averages 12.1 points per game and is second on the team with 49 3-pointers.

UC Irvine (30-6) is currently one of only eight teams that have at least 30 wins this season. The Anteaters finished second in the Big West Conference behind UC San Diego and dropped a 75-61 decision to the Tritons in the conference tournament championship game.

UAB (24-12) has been in California since last Friday. After the win over Santa Clara, the Blazers flew to Southern California on Monday. The Blazers are scheduled to take a late night flight home after the game. If they win on Wednesday, the Blazers will begin preparation for the fourth meeting with North Texas, this time a NIT semifinal game next Tuesday at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis. North Texas won the first meeting, coming back from a 17-point halftime deficit, and the Blazers won the next two. The second UAB victory was a 66-56 triumph in the AAC Tournament semifinals.