Alabama-Birmingham 79, Rutgers 76: C.J. Washington had a game-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Blazers won a tight game at home over the Scarlet Knights.

Fahro Alihodzic had 14 points, including a 15-footer with 2:30 remaining that gave the Blazers (2-0) a lead for just the second time in the second half. Rod Rucker had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Robert Williams had nine rebounds, including several important put-backs on the offensive end for UAB, which held a 54-27 edge on the boards.

J.J. Moore scored 12 points, Myles Mack had 12 points and nine assists and Kadeem Jack added 11 points to lead the Scarlet Knights (1-1). Jerome Seagears hit three 3-pointers, and Wally Judge recorded 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds for Rutgers.

Rutgers led 11-4 four minutes into the game behind five points from Mack, but Rucker responded with six of his own to help the Blazers take its first lead at 14-13 at the midway point of the first half. The teams then traded buckets until layups by Jack and Judge made it 28-21 and Brown hit a 3-pointer in the final minute to help send the Scarlet Knights into the locker room with a 37-31 advantage.

After the break, a put-back by Williams gave the Blazers their first lead since midway through the first half with 11:23 remaining. Seagears answered with a 3-pointer to give the Scarlet Knights the lead until Williams followed Alihodzic's jumper with a layup to make it 73-69, and UAB held on from there.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Blazers had a plus-13 rebounding margin in the first half, but trailed thanks to six turnovers and 0-of-8 shooting from behind the arc. ... Rucker had eight points and eight rebounds in the first half. ... UAB had as many offensive rebounds (22) as Rutgers had defensive ones.