It took UAB’s basketball team a good, long while to score a single point against No. 5-ranked Kansas on Monday night in Sprint Center.
The Jayhawks, who in the words of coach Bill Self, looked like a “tired team” in Friday’s 21-point home victory over Siena, three nights later appeared energized in racing to a 17-0 lead in the first six minutes. They upped the margin to 22 points (25-3) en route to a 83-63 victory over the Blazers in the semifinals of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.
The victory, which wasn’t quite as easy as the early blitz would indicate — UAB cut the deficit to five late in the first half — pushed the Jayhawks (3-1) into Tuesday’s final against Georgia (3-1), an 81-73 winner over George Washington in Monday’s other semifinal.