UAB Downs Southern Illinois, 81-73, In Jacksonville Classic
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - November 24, 2025
UAB used the relentless effort of KyeRon Lindsay-Martin to walk away with a 81-73 victory over Southern Illinois in the Blazers first game in the Jacksonville (Fla.) Classic.
Lindsay-Martin finished with 25 points, hitting 10-of-11 shots from the field and all five of his free throws, while adding 10 rebounds and a blocked shot. Seven of his rebounds came on the offensive end, which played a big part in the Blazers finishing with 21 second chance points.
This past Friday, Lindsay-Martin’s strong first half kept the Blazers in the game against South Alabama but he struggled after halftime in the win over the Jaguars. This time, though, he was productive through both halves of the game.
“I love it, man,” UAB head coach Andy Kennedy said on his postgame conversation on Blazer Sports Network from Learfield. “He works, he's always engaged. It's great to see his work paying off. I thought he was really, really within himself tonight, making the plays that were there to be made and we needed it desperately. I thought he kind of kept us around.”
His performance was needed in a game that Chance Westry struggled to convert from the field. Westry made just one of nine shots from the field and finished with a season-low six points. However, he found other ways to put together a solid game with six rebounds, five assists, three steals, a blocked shot and just two early turnovers in nearly 34 minutes. He also helped get the ball to Jacob Meyer, who finished with 20 points, including four 3-pointers.
“Jacob Meyer was good throughout the evening,” Kennedy said. “Chance Westry goes 1 for 9 and, again, missed the dunk, but made some really, really key assists in the end. Once to Jacob Meyer and once to Evan Chatman. Big, big 3s to help us close it out.”
UAB was in the lead for most of the game, including a 13-point advantage midway through the opening half. But they had trouble pulling away from the Salukis, which was troubling to Kennedy.
“We led the game for 34 minutes,” said Kennedy, whose team won their fourth consecutive game. “We win by eight, but it should have been a little easier, in my opinion. It should have been by 14 or 15 if we had just finished the plays. But Southern Illinois is our first win away from Bartow Arena and I thought we had some really good moments.”
A dominating effort on the boards were critical for the Blazers, who outrebounded Southern Illinois, 45-36, overall and 16-10 on the offensive end. Meyer and Chatman each had eight rebounds. UAB had 14 more second chance points than the Salukis and narrowly won points in the paint, 40-38.
Chatman, a 6-foot-8 junior college transfer, had a pair of 3-pointers with both coming on back-to-back possessions late in the game.
“That’s why we brought him here honestly,” Kennedy said. “Number one, he’s a tremendous kid from a tremendous family. He’s a great ambassador for our university. Number two, I thought he was going to be a special guy (from long distance). Hopefully tonight will get him going.”
UAB will play its second and final game in the Jacksonville Classic on Tuesday at 3 p.m. against UTEP.