Sanders, Millsap lead streaking UAB to 67-57 upset over No. 20 Butler

Sanders leads UAB over No. 20 Butler, 67-57

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jamarr Sanders scored 18 points and streaking UAB weathered a late comeback by cold-shooting Butler to upset the 20th-ranked Bulldogs 67-57 on Tuesday night.

The Blazers (11-1) fought off a late rally to beat their second ranked opponent in six days and win their 10th consecutive game.

Butler (8-4) shot 34 percent from the field, including going 5 of 20 on 3-pointers, but still managed to cut a 16-point deficit down to 57-55 in an 8-minute span.

Gordon Hayward’s two free throws with 4:02 left capped a 20-6 run. The Bulldogs couldn’t score on their next six possessions, though, and the rally ran out of gas.

UAB got consecutive fastbreak layups by Sanders and Elijah Millsap. Millsap had a steal, layup and free throw to make it 63-55 with 44 seconds left.

The Blazers, who beat then-No. 25 Cincinnati last week, defeated a team that had been 11-1 in nonconference road games under coach Brad Stevens. They won the two games by a combined 27 points.

Sanders was 7 of 10 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and had five assists for the Blazers, while Millsap had 11 points and four steals. Aaron Johnson, a 5-foot-8 guard, scored 12 points, all in the first half, and five assists and 10 rebounds. Kenneth Cooper also had 11 points.

Hayward had 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting and 15 rebounds. He had scored 70 points over his last three games.

He didn’t get much help on the boards, with his teammates collecting a combined 18 rebounds and fellow post player Matt Howard fouling out in the final 2 minutes. UAB held a 41-33 edge on the boards.

Shelvin Mack scored nine of his 11 points during that final comeback attempt. Willie Veasley added 10 points, but had his time limited after picking up his fourth foul with 13 minutes left. Howard finished with six points, half his season average.

Butler had survived a 69-68 win over Xavier on Saturday on Hayward’s basket with 1.2 seconds left that wound up ending the game after officials ruled the clock had been stopped inadvertently for 1.3 seconds during the Bulldogs’ final possession.

There was no such fortunate finish this time.

Butler had cut a 10-point deficit in half a few minutes into the second half, before UAB rebuilt a double-digit lead. Millsap’s steal, dunk and free throw highlighted a 15-4 run, and Sanders’ jump shot made it 51-35 with 12:38 left.

Another costly part of that sequence was that Veasley picked up his third and fourth fouls.

Then Mack scored seven straight points and Avery Jukes hit a 3-pointer when he was so wide-open that he had time to hesitate before launching it.

Then came four missed shots and two turnovers for Butler.

The Bulldogs were even colder in the first half, making 7 of 27 shots and trailing 32-22.