Roundup: Wednesday, January 8th
The men's basketball team picks up a conference win, plus a football recruiting update.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The men’s basketball team pulled out a home win over Tulane last night. Yaxel Lendeborg posted 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, Tony Toney made five three-pointers, and the Blazers overcame a slow start to improve to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Green and Gold also jumped from 124th to 120th in KenPom. Full recap to come.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The women’s basketball team (9-6, 0-3) takes on Memphis (3-10, 1-1) in Bartow Arena at 6:00 PM this evening. Randy Norton’s squad, coming off two frustratingly close losses to UTSA and Wichita State, is trying to post its first conference win of the season. Memphis is one of just two American teams that ranks below the Blazers in Barttorvik.
The game will stream on ESPN+.
FOOTBALL
The Blazers picked up two commitments yesterday: UTEP RB Jevon Jackson and Boston College DB Jaylen Cheek.
Jevon Jackson — RB, UTEP
5’8”, 205 lbs — one year of eligibility remaining
Jackson announced his decision in a social media post. The Decatur, Alabama native began his college football career at Austin Peay in 2021, rushing for 1,980 yards over three seasons and being named an FCS Football Central Second Team All-American in 2023. He transferred to UTEP last season, earning a team captaincy and leading the Miners in rushing with 754 yards.
“UAB was one of my best options,” Jackson told Steve Irvine in an interview published at The Banner. “You know, with the coaching staff and the culture here that is being built, especially with the NFL experience. I felt like it was the best place for me (and) for my goals, which is to play at the next level.”
Jackson will provide much-needed reinforcement to a UAB running back room losing all of its major contributors and its position coach.
Jaylen Cheek — DB, Boston College
6’2”, 200 lbs — one year of eligibility remaining
Cheek, a New Jersey native, announced his decision in a social media post. The graduate transfer spent the first four years of his college football career at Boston College. He saw little playing time in 2021 or 2022, but he became a contributor in 2023, starting four games while recording 23 tackles and 3 pass breakups. Cheek primarily appeared on special teams in 2024 but still intercepted 1 pass and made 6 tackles.
Jackson and Cheek become the eighth and ninth publicly announced members of UAB’s incoming transfer class, joining WR Kaleb Brown, WR Evan McCray, TE Antonio Ferguson, DE Jamichael Rogers, QB Peyton Floyd, S Josh Baka, and OL Deivi Martinez. Judging by Trent Dilfer’s Twitter feed, UAB has picked up at least eight players over the past three days, but only the identities of Baka, Martinez, Jackson, and Cheek have been officially revealed.
Among UAB’s confirmed visitors are:
Stony Brook wide receiver Jayce Freeman, Alabama State safety Dasheen Jackson, and Old Dominion edge rusher Amorie Morrison, all of whom took official visits over the weekend.
Jackson may have already signed — a Ryan Lewis tweet from last night implies that the Blazers reeled in an Alabama State Hornet. Lewis, a new UAB defensive assistant, spent the last three seasons as ASU’s defensive coordinator.
Western Kentucky linebacker Kylan Guidry, Rhode Island linebacker Devin Hightower, and Southern (FCS) defensive tackle Jelani Davis, all of whom took official visits yesterday.
Washington State safety Jackson Lataimua, who will begin his official visit today.
Nicholls State (FCS) linebacker Eli Ennis, who will take an official visit at an unannounced date this week.
In other UAB football news:
UAB quarterbacks coach Nick Coleman was officially introduced as FIU’s new offensive coordinator yesterday.
Coleman spent two years as an offensive analyst at South Carolina before coming to UAB in 2022, where he helped lead Jacob Zeno to the most statistically impressive QB season in school history.
This development has been known for several weeks.
Former UAB wide receiver Brandon Buckhaulter committed to Western Kentucky yesterday.
Former UAB safety Adrian Maddox, formerly committed to Florida, switched his commitment to Georgia yesterday.