BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — Dezayne Mingo scored 35 points to lead Charlotte to an 83-78 victory over UAB in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Friday at Legacy Arena. The 49ers, who trailed 33-31 at halftime, used a 52-point second half to secure the road win and split the regular-season series. Mingo added six assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. Daniel Rivera paced the Blazers with 20 points and nine rebounds. Chance Westry dished 15 assists for UAB. Charlotte improved to 17-16 overall. UAB fell to 20-12.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a blistering offensive display from one player and a stark contrast in styles, the Charlotte 49ers avenged a loss from just over a week prior by outlasting the UAB Blazers 83-78 in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Friday afternoon at Legacy Arena. The most important part of the game was Charlotte’s transformative second-half shooting performance, spearheaded by a career-defining afternoon from guard Dezayne Mingo, which ultimately overcame UAB’s overwhelming dominance in the paint and a 15-assist masterpiece from Blazers guard Chance Westry. Charlotte, which improved to 17-16 overall, trailed 33-31 at halftime after a disjointed opening 20 minutes. The 49ers’ offense in the first half was inefficient, heavily reliant on difficult shots. The second half, however, told a completely different story. Charlotte erupted for 52 points, shooting with remarkable precision from beyond the arc to seize control. The catalyst was Mingo. The junior from Hamilton, Canada, delivered a spectacular performance, scoring 35 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 7-of-13 from three-point range. He added six assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes. After a quiet first half, Mingo caught fire after intermission, hitting a series of deep and contested threes that repeatedly stifled UAB rallies. His back-to-back three-pointers midway through the second half, one assisted by Spencer Elliott and another by Nick Richart, turned a two-point deficit into a four-point Charlotte lead, a momentum shift the Blazers could never fully reverse. Mingo’s outburst was the centerpiece of a broader three-point shooting disparity that decided the contest. Charlotte finished 14 of 29 from long distance, a 48.3% clip. UAB, conversely, was an ice-cold 4 of 19, a mere 21.1%. This 30-point advantage from the three-point line proved insurmountable for the Blazers, despite their significant advantages elsewhere. UAB, which fell to 20-12, executed its interior-focused game plan with force. The Blazers hammered the ball inside, outscoring Charlotte 52-28 in the paint. Forward Daniel Rivera was a powerhouse, scoring 20 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking four shots. Chance Westry orchestrated the offense with phenomenal vision, dishing out 15 assists against only three turnovers, consistently finding cutters and post players for high-percentage looks. Quaran McPherson provided a vital scoring punch off the bench with 14 points, including three second-half three-pointers that kept UAB within striking distance. Yet, every time UAB threatened, Charlotte had an answer, usually from long range. When the Blazers pulled within 75-72 late, Damoni Harrison, who scored 13 points, connected on a critical three-pointer off an assist from Anton Bonke. After UAB’s Dayjaun Anderson hit a jumper to make it 78-77 with just over two minutes left, the game hung in the balance. Following a Charlotte shot clock violation, UAB had a chance to extend its lead, but a Rivera turnover and a missed three-pointer on the next possession opened the door. Charlotte closed the game on a 6-0 run in the final 38 seconds. Mingo drove for a tough layup to put the 49ers ahead for good at 79-78. After a UAB timeout, Westry missed a driving layup, and Ben Bradford secured the defensive rebound for Charlotte. Mingo was then fouled and made both free throws. On the ensuing inbounds play, Raúl Villar sealed the victory with a breakaway layup in the final seconds. Ben Bradford supported Mingo with 17 points and seven rebounds for Charlotte. Bonke, the 7-foot-2 center from Port Vila, Vanuatu, anchored the defense with nine rebounds and three assists. Elliott contributed six assists. For UAB, Westry finished with nine points to go with his 15 assists. KyeRon Lindsay-Martin added 12 points off the bench. The victory was a measure of revenge for Charlotte, which lost 80-74 to UAB in Charlotte on March 4. It also marked a significant road win against a Blazers team that had been a heavy pregame favorite, projected with a 78.7% probability to win by statistical models. The game was a classic clash of philosophies: UAB’s relentless interior attack versus Charlotte’s perimeter fireworks. On this afternoon, from late in the second half until the final buzzer, the long-range bombs proved more decisive, propelling the 49ers to a narrow, hard-fought conference victory.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The UAB Blazers, riding a three-game winning streak, will look to solidify their postseason credentials when they host the Charlotte 49ers in a regular-season finale on Friday, March 13, at Legacy Arena. UAB (20-11) enters with momentum after a 90-83 victory over East Carolina on March 8. The Blazers have won seven of their last nine games. Charlotte (16-16) snapped a three-game skid with a 74-60 home win over Tulane on March 12. The matchup features a compelling backcourt duel. UAB is led by dynamic guard Chance Westry, who is coming off a 22-point, 11-assist performance against East Carolina. In the teams’ previous meeting on March 4, a key 80-74 road win for UAB, Westry posted 20 points and 11 assists. Charlotte counters with high-scoring guard Ben Bradford, who erupted for 29 points in the win over Tulane. In the loss to UAB earlier this month, Bradford scored 17 points. He has averaged 19.1 points over his last seven contests. The Blazers won the first meeting this season by overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit in Charlotte. UAB’s defense forced 15 turnovers, which proved decisive in the six-point victory. UAB has been strong at home this season, while Charlotte has struggled on the road, posting a 3-9 record away from home. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, UAB is projected with a 78.70% probability to win. Oddsmakers have installed the Blazers as a 3.5-point favorite, with an over/under set at 145.5 points. For Charlotte, a victory would secure a .500 season record and potentially improve its seeding for the upcoming conference tournament. For UAB, a win would bolster its case for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, should it be needed. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT at Legacy Arena. The game will be televised on ESPNU.