02-03-2007, 09:55 AM
West Virginia Home Cooking
The Date:
The Blazers are 3-1 on this date and are 1-1 on the road on this date. We have won our three games by a average of over 13 points. UAB’s last game on this date was in 2001 in Hattiesburg, a game the Blazers won over Southern Miss by the score of 71-59.
UAB vs. UNC Charlotte – February 3, 1983
On this date in 1983, UAB hosted North Carolina Charlotte at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. The Blazers were struggling in a rebuilding year after their Elite Eight appearance the year before. Their record was 11-10 and UNCC was an even worse 5-13. Concidentally, those records are almost an exact match of the records today. UAB is 11-10 and Marshall is 8-13. Coach Gene Bartow was looking to the future and started freshman Steve Mitchell over Lu Foster, who had started 21 games that season and 26 of the 31 games the year before. Bartow stated that Mitchell had looked good in practice and had earned a starting position.
Charlotte was led by John Gullickson, who averaged 16.6 points per game. Another UAB freshman, Jerome Mincy blocked his first two shots and he ended up shooting 1 of 10 for the game. Still, Charlotte stayed close and led early in the game. UAB went ahead a Raymond Gause jumper with 5:18 to go in the half and led 35-32 at the half.
In the second half, with Steve Mitchell directing the offense, UAB surged ahead midway through the period. The Blazers won the game 73-60. UAB was led in scoring by Cliff Pruitt with 18 points. Steve Mitchell had eight points and eight assists in his first start.
UAB at West Virginia February 3, 1987
The preceding game report reviewed a game played during Mitchell and Mincy’s freshman year. Now let’s fast forward to a game on the same date played during their senior year. On this date in 1987, Mitchell and Mincy and fellow Blazers traveled to the state where we play tonight’s game…West Virginia. However, this game was against West Virginia, not our future conference brother, Marshall.
West Virginia was 14-5 and coached by Gale Catllett. In 1987, West Virginia played in the Atlantic 10 Conference and was ranked statistically one of the Top 10 teams defensively. The Blazers were 14-6 and needed a big win in order to attract an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament, in case they did not win the Sun Belt Tournament. This out of conference game was a made for TV matchup and televised on USA Cable.
The Mountaineers took an early 8-6 lead and led 20-10 with 9:50 to go in the first half. The Blazers made a small comeback and cut the lead to four points at halftime. UAB’s first half struggle was partially due to the inability of James Ponder to score. James Ponder was having a great year as teams focused on shutting down Steve Mitchell with trick defenses, allowing Ponder to score almost at will. In the previous game, Ponder scored 28 points. In this game against the Mountaineers, Ponder did not score in the first half. Another problem the Blazers had was good ole West Virginian home cooking. At one point, UAB had 9 fouls and West Virginia had zero. Coach Gene Bartow received a technical foul protesting the seemingly one sided officiating.
In the second half, UAB came within one point, 34-33 two minutes into the half. West Virginia began working the ball inside and drawing fouls, and pushed the lead back out to 48-35 on a 14-2 run. Ponder finally found his shot and scored 15 points in the second half. With 7:43 left in the game, UAB cut the lead to five, 54-49, but then West Virginia scored ten unanswered points and put the game away. The Mountaineers won 79-64. Eddie Collins had 17 points for the Blazers. West Virginia went to the line 38 times and hit 26 of them. The Blazers went to the foul line eight times and hit six of them. A twenty point difference at the line. Despite the loss, the Blazers still managed to make the NCAA tournament as an at large team and got revenge against West Virginia when they returned the game to Birmingham the following season.
The Opponent:
UAB has played Marshall three times as a conference foe and won all three matches. The only loss to Marshall came before Marshall entered the CUSA. That loss was December 30, 2003 and caught the Blazer faithful by surprise as it was the first home loss of the year and to an opponent most expected to beat.
UAB vs. Marshall December 30, 2003
The Blazers were coming off a loss to LSU in the Sugar Bowl classic and was looking forward to an easy cupcake game at home before the new years. The Thundering Herd would win only 12 games that year, but they came into Bartow looking for a victory. The game was tied 66-66 when UAB’s Gabe Kennedy missed a short shot and the rebound fell out of bounds to Marshall with 15.4 seconds remaining in the game. Marshall’s Tre Whitted was almost tied up, but called a timeout with two seconds left. Marshall took the ball out of bounds, and got it to the Herd's Mark Patton on the left side of the foul lane. As he turned toward the basket, a foul was called. It appeared to many that the foul happened after time ran out, but the referees, in an effort to welcome Marshall to CUSA put 0.4 seconds on the clock. After a UAB timeout, Patton hit both free throws to win the game 68-66. UAB was led in scoring by Gabe Kennedy with 20 points. Coach Anderson was quoted as saying that the Blazers were "a half step behind all night". It would be one of the few low points in a great year.
The Place:
This is the Blazers’ third trip to Huntingdon, and they are 2-0 in the series.
UAB @ Marshall - January 14, 2006
In the last game played there, on January 14, 2006, the Blazers rolled to a fairly easy victory thanks to the shooting of Frank Holmes and Marvett McDonald. Both scored 22 points a piece as UAB won 76-64.
Frank Holmes career high going into this game was 14 points. In the first half alone, he scored 17 points as he and Squeaky Johnson took advantage of Marshall’s inability to stop the pick and roll. Marshall was held without a field goal in the final 5:24 of the first half, and a three pointer by McDonald at the halftime buzzer finished a 13-2 run by the Blazers to make the halftime score 35-26.
McDonald had 19 second half points as the Blazers shot 54% from the floor and pushed the lead out to double digits. The Thundering Herd scored seven straight points, and cut the lead to three, 49-46 with 11:26 left, Paul Delaney and McDonald hit 12 straight free throws down the stretch to secure the win. The Blazers won 76-64, their eighth straight victory. Paul Delaney scored 14 points, a career high for him as well at the time.
The Date:
The Blazers are 3-1 on this date and are 1-1 on the road on this date. We have won our three games by a average of over 13 points. UAB’s last game on this date was in 2001 in Hattiesburg, a game the Blazers won over Southern Miss by the score of 71-59.
UAB vs. UNC Charlotte – February 3, 1983
On this date in 1983, UAB hosted North Carolina Charlotte at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. The Blazers were struggling in a rebuilding year after their Elite Eight appearance the year before. Their record was 11-10 and UNCC was an even worse 5-13. Concidentally, those records are almost an exact match of the records today. UAB is 11-10 and Marshall is 8-13. Coach Gene Bartow was looking to the future and started freshman Steve Mitchell over Lu Foster, who had started 21 games that season and 26 of the 31 games the year before. Bartow stated that Mitchell had looked good in practice and had earned a starting position.
Charlotte was led by John Gullickson, who averaged 16.6 points per game. Another UAB freshman, Jerome Mincy blocked his first two shots and he ended up shooting 1 of 10 for the game. Still, Charlotte stayed close and led early in the game. UAB went ahead a Raymond Gause jumper with 5:18 to go in the half and led 35-32 at the half.
In the second half, with Steve Mitchell directing the offense, UAB surged ahead midway through the period. The Blazers won the game 73-60. UAB was led in scoring by Cliff Pruitt with 18 points. Steve Mitchell had eight points and eight assists in his first start.
UAB at West Virginia February 3, 1987
The preceding game report reviewed a game played during Mitchell and Mincy’s freshman year. Now let’s fast forward to a game on the same date played during their senior year. On this date in 1987, Mitchell and Mincy and fellow Blazers traveled to the state where we play tonight’s game…West Virginia. However, this game was against West Virginia, not our future conference brother, Marshall.
West Virginia was 14-5 and coached by Gale Catllett. In 1987, West Virginia played in the Atlantic 10 Conference and was ranked statistically one of the Top 10 teams defensively. The Blazers were 14-6 and needed a big win in order to attract an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament, in case they did not win the Sun Belt Tournament. This out of conference game was a made for TV matchup and televised on USA Cable.
The Mountaineers took an early 8-6 lead and led 20-10 with 9:50 to go in the first half. The Blazers made a small comeback and cut the lead to four points at halftime. UAB’s first half struggle was partially due to the inability of James Ponder to score. James Ponder was having a great year as teams focused on shutting down Steve Mitchell with trick defenses, allowing Ponder to score almost at will. In the previous game, Ponder scored 28 points. In this game against the Mountaineers, Ponder did not score in the first half. Another problem the Blazers had was good ole West Virginian home cooking. At one point, UAB had 9 fouls and West Virginia had zero. Coach Gene Bartow received a technical foul protesting the seemingly one sided officiating.
In the second half, UAB came within one point, 34-33 two minutes into the half. West Virginia began working the ball inside and drawing fouls, and pushed the lead back out to 48-35 on a 14-2 run. Ponder finally found his shot and scored 15 points in the second half. With 7:43 left in the game, UAB cut the lead to five, 54-49, but then West Virginia scored ten unanswered points and put the game away. The Mountaineers won 79-64. Eddie Collins had 17 points for the Blazers. West Virginia went to the line 38 times and hit 26 of them. The Blazers went to the foul line eight times and hit six of them. A twenty point difference at the line. Despite the loss, the Blazers still managed to make the NCAA tournament as an at large team and got revenge against West Virginia when they returned the game to Birmingham the following season.
The Opponent:
UAB has played Marshall three times as a conference foe and won all three matches. The only loss to Marshall came before Marshall entered the CUSA. That loss was December 30, 2003 and caught the Blazer faithful by surprise as it was the first home loss of the year and to an opponent most expected to beat.
UAB vs. Marshall December 30, 2003
The Blazers were coming off a loss to LSU in the Sugar Bowl classic and was looking forward to an easy cupcake game at home before the new years. The Thundering Herd would win only 12 games that year, but they came into Bartow looking for a victory. The game was tied 66-66 when UAB’s Gabe Kennedy missed a short shot and the rebound fell out of bounds to Marshall with 15.4 seconds remaining in the game. Marshall’s Tre Whitted was almost tied up, but called a timeout with two seconds left. Marshall took the ball out of bounds, and got it to the Herd's Mark Patton on the left side of the foul lane. As he turned toward the basket, a foul was called. It appeared to many that the foul happened after time ran out, but the referees, in an effort to welcome Marshall to CUSA put 0.4 seconds on the clock. After a UAB timeout, Patton hit both free throws to win the game 68-66. UAB was led in scoring by Gabe Kennedy with 20 points. Coach Anderson was quoted as saying that the Blazers were "a half step behind all night". It would be one of the few low points in a great year.
The Place:
This is the Blazers’ third trip to Huntingdon, and they are 2-0 in the series.
UAB @ Marshall - January 14, 2006
In the last game played there, on January 14, 2006, the Blazers rolled to a fairly easy victory thanks to the shooting of Frank Holmes and Marvett McDonald. Both scored 22 points a piece as UAB won 76-64.
Frank Holmes career high going into this game was 14 points. In the first half alone, he scored 17 points as he and Squeaky Johnson took advantage of Marshall’s inability to stop the pick and roll. Marshall was held without a field goal in the final 5:24 of the first half, and a three pointer by McDonald at the halftime buzzer finished a 13-2 run by the Blazers to make the halftime score 35-26.
McDonald had 19 second half points as the Blazers shot 54% from the floor and pushed the lead out to double digits. The Thundering Herd scored seven straight points, and cut the lead to three, 49-46 with 11:26 left, Paul Delaney and McDonald hit 12 straight free throws down the stretch to secure the win. The Blazers won 76-64, their eighth straight victory. Paul Delaney scored 14 points, a career high for him as well at the time.