SOME EXCELLENT play from guard Jordan Walker was a key factor in the UAB Blazers claiming a triumph over the Vanderbilt Commodores in the National Invitational Tournament on Thursday.

Held at the Memorial Gymnasium, the match saw some back and forth action as both sides looked to advance in the quarterfinal matchup. The Blazers had found more success over the past few months of action, but Vanderbilt had a few key pieces on its roster that could produce match-winning performances.

It was a hotly contested opening half, with the Commodores hitting some timely baskets on the eve of the main break to take a three-point lead into the final period of play. However, UAB hit its straps in the second half, getting on a roll offensively to overrun the opposition and claim a 67-59 triumph.

One of the reasons why the Blazers lifted their offensive output in the second half was the performance of Walker, who did a bit of everything and was the most impactful player on the court in the win.

UAB Blazers (67) def. Vanderbilt Commodores (59)

Jordan Walker – 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists

Walker made an impact across all facets of the game with a performances that was displayed accurately in a strong statline.

Although he was a contributor in a number of ways, the guard was still the game’s leading scorer with 21 for the match. He might not have had the most efficient performance shooting the ball (7/22 from the field), a number of his baskets came in timely fashion, as the Blazers made the match-winning run.

Walker was perfect from the free throw line, finding attacking the rim on the drive to be a winning formula, nailing all six of his attempts from the charity stripe after the defence got a bit overzealous when defending him.

His seven rebounds were the second-most of any UAB player, with all of them coming on the defensive end. He was typically one of the first to hunt down an opposition miss, and it paid dividends in the second half.

Walker’s vision was also a key factor, with the guard putting up shots, but still executing the right play when his teammates were open. Often it was the attention he drew on the defensive end that freed them up, and Walker was able to rack up a game-high seven dimes.

It was a truly momentum-shifting performance, getting involved in all key areas of the match to drag his side over the line in a crucial match.