01-31-2007, 01:53 PM
The First Win Over a Ranked Opponent
The Date:
The Blazers are 6-2 on January 31 and have won their last four games played on this date. All but one of the eight games played on this date have been played at home UAB is 6-1 in home games on this date.
UAB vs. South Alabama - January 31, 1981.
On this date in 1981, the Blazers played one of their first big games in their short history. Cliff Ellis brought his best South Alabama team to Birmingham to take on the Blazers in a key Sun Belt game. South Alabama was ranked #16 in the country and led by Ed Rains, who averaged 18.5 points for the Jaguars. The crowd that night totaled 16,131, which at the time was the largest crowd to ever watch a Sun Belt game. An Even more interesting fact was that this game had 6000 more people in attendance than the Alabama-Auburn game two days earlier in Tuscaloosa.
The Blazers got off to a slow start in the first half and the score was 10-0 Jaguars before UAB even scored. The Blazers trailed by 16 points, 28-12 with 7:44 to go in the half. South Alabama shot 70% over UAB's zone defense in the first half. However, because he had played zone, Gene Bartow had no one in foul trouble in the second half and he was able to switch to man to man.
In the second half, South Alabama struggled to hit free throws hitting only 16 of 27 for the game. UAB increased their shooting percentage from 36% in the first half to 51% in the second. Meanwhile, South Alabama cooled off to 32% facing the man to man pressure. UAB came back to win a thrilling game by the score of 73-70 over the 16th ranked Jaguars. It was UAB's first win over a ranked opponent. Oliver Robinson led the Blazers with 24 points and was named Sun Belt player of the week with his fourth straight 20 point game. Chris Giles added 12 points and 11 rebounds. South Alabama would finish the season 25-6, with two of the losses coming to UAB. They would go to the NIT quarterfinals. Ed Rains, and three of his teammates would be drafted by the NBA at the end of the season.
UAB vs. Houston January 31, 2001
The top performance on this date belongs to Will Campbell, who on this date in 2001 scored 18 points and 20 rebounds in a 65-53 win over Houston Campbell’s 20 rebounds tied the record for rebounds, set by Carlos Williams in 1996. This was also UAB’s 150th win in Bartow Arena.
UAB led at halftime by the score of 34-29. Campbell had already scored a double double in the first half alone with his 14 points and 12 rebounds. In the second half, Houston managed to cut the lead to 44-40, but a three pointer by Eric Batchelor started an 8-0 run and the Blazers never looked back. The Blazers won 65-53 and improved their record to 11-9.
The Opponent:
The Blazers are 2-1 against SMU. UAB lost to SMU in 1983 in the second round of the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii by the score of 77-63. More recently, UAB defeated SMU in Dallas during the regular season and in the CUSA tournament in Memphis last year.
UAB vs. SMU- February 25, 2006
The Blazers played its first ever game in Dallas last year when they traveled to play the SMU Mustangs. Southern Methodist got off to a strong start with a ten point lead with 7:57 to go in the first half. However, the Blazers put together a 10-2 run in just over three minutes to cut the lead to two. Two Lawrence Kinnard free throws gave the Blazers their first lead of the game with 26 seconds until halftime. The Blazers took a 31-30 lead to the locker room.
In the second half, the lead changed hands several times, with neither team leading by more than four points. At the 9:06 point, Marvett McDonald hit back to back three pointers that gave the Blazers a 57-51 lead. The Blazers went on to win 73-68.
The stat line of the game belonged to Marvett McDonald, who scored a career high 39 points, second only to Andy Kennedy in most points in a game. Kennedy scored 41 points against Saint Louis in 1991. McDonald was 12 of 21 from the field, including 8 of 12 from three point range and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Eight three pointers tied the record for most treys in a game. He was named CUSA Player of the week for his performance.
The Date:
The Blazers are 6-2 on January 31 and have won their last four games played on this date. All but one of the eight games played on this date have been played at home UAB is 6-1 in home games on this date.
UAB vs. South Alabama - January 31, 1981.
On this date in 1981, the Blazers played one of their first big games in their short history. Cliff Ellis brought his best South Alabama team to Birmingham to take on the Blazers in a key Sun Belt game. South Alabama was ranked #16 in the country and led by Ed Rains, who averaged 18.5 points for the Jaguars. The crowd that night totaled 16,131, which at the time was the largest crowd to ever watch a Sun Belt game. An Even more interesting fact was that this game had 6000 more people in attendance than the Alabama-Auburn game two days earlier in Tuscaloosa.
The Blazers got off to a slow start in the first half and the score was 10-0 Jaguars before UAB even scored. The Blazers trailed by 16 points, 28-12 with 7:44 to go in the half. South Alabama shot 70% over UAB's zone defense in the first half. However, because he had played zone, Gene Bartow had no one in foul trouble in the second half and he was able to switch to man to man.
In the second half, South Alabama struggled to hit free throws hitting only 16 of 27 for the game. UAB increased their shooting percentage from 36% in the first half to 51% in the second. Meanwhile, South Alabama cooled off to 32% facing the man to man pressure. UAB came back to win a thrilling game by the score of 73-70 over the 16th ranked Jaguars. It was UAB's first win over a ranked opponent. Oliver Robinson led the Blazers with 24 points and was named Sun Belt player of the week with his fourth straight 20 point game. Chris Giles added 12 points and 11 rebounds. South Alabama would finish the season 25-6, with two of the losses coming to UAB. They would go to the NIT quarterfinals. Ed Rains, and three of his teammates would be drafted by the NBA at the end of the season.
UAB vs. Houston January 31, 2001
The top performance on this date belongs to Will Campbell, who on this date in 2001 scored 18 points and 20 rebounds in a 65-53 win over Houston Campbell’s 20 rebounds tied the record for rebounds, set by Carlos Williams in 1996. This was also UAB’s 150th win in Bartow Arena.
UAB led at halftime by the score of 34-29. Campbell had already scored a double double in the first half alone with his 14 points and 12 rebounds. In the second half, Houston managed to cut the lead to 44-40, but a three pointer by Eric Batchelor started an 8-0 run and the Blazers never looked back. The Blazers won 65-53 and improved their record to 11-9.
The Opponent:
The Blazers are 2-1 against SMU. UAB lost to SMU in 1983 in the second round of the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii by the score of 77-63. More recently, UAB defeated SMU in Dallas during the regular season and in the CUSA tournament in Memphis last year.
UAB vs. SMU- February 25, 2006
The Blazers played its first ever game in Dallas last year when they traveled to play the SMU Mustangs. Southern Methodist got off to a strong start with a ten point lead with 7:57 to go in the first half. However, the Blazers put together a 10-2 run in just over three minutes to cut the lead to two. Two Lawrence Kinnard free throws gave the Blazers their first lead of the game with 26 seconds until halftime. The Blazers took a 31-30 lead to the locker room.
In the second half, the lead changed hands several times, with neither team leading by more than four points. At the 9:06 point, Marvett McDonald hit back to back three pointers that gave the Blazers a 57-51 lead. The Blazers went on to win 73-68.
The stat line of the game belonged to Marvett McDonald, who scored a career high 39 points, second only to Andy Kennedy in most points in a game. Kennedy scored 41 points against Saint Louis in 1991. McDonald was 12 of 21 from the field, including 8 of 12 from three point range and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Eight three pointers tied the record for most treys in a game. He was named CUSA Player of the week for his performance.